Date of Graduation
5-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Department
Biomedical Engineering
Advisor/Mentor
Wolchok, Jeffrey C.
Abstract
Volumetric muscle loss (VML) refers to the substantial removal of tissue from skeletal muscle due to surgery or lesions. This condition disrupts the normal regenerative process of injured muscles, leading to significant loss of muscle function. This study examines the progression of VML injury, approximately 20% of the muscle mass being removed, in the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle of a mouse model over a 15-day post-injury period. The injured muscles exhibited discoloration indicative of reduced blood flow and experienced a decrease in muscle mass throughout the study duration. Furthermore, the maximum force output of the injured TA was significantly lower, measuring only two-thirds of that observed in uninjured TAs at the 15-day post-injury mark. RNA and protein level analyses revealed diminished expression of genes associated with pro-regenerative processes like angiogenesis and myogenesis. Importantly, both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines were detected at the wound site across all time points examined in the study. Immunohistochemistry analysis demonstrated a prevalence of M2 macrophages throughout all time points. However, the absence of a distinct immune environment appeared to contribute to a fibrotic rather than regenerative response at the wound site. The findings suggest that VML injury impedes the full transition to a pro-regenerative state, resulting in fibrosis and impaired muscle function. This study highlights the importance of understanding and modulating the immune response to promote effective muscle regeneration in cases of VML injury.
Keywords
VML; inflammation; cytokine
Citation
Ong, S. (2024). Investigation of Early Stage Wound Healing in Volumetric Muscle Loss. Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/bmeguht/155
