Set-up for the Mechanical Characterization of Smooth Muscles

Set-up for the Mechanical Characterization of Smooth Muscles

In collaboration with the PRETA team at TIMC, we have developed an experimental setup to characterize intestinal motility at both organ and sub-millimeter scales.

This setup is equipped with a pulley system mounted on air bearings, allowing for the application of tensile forces of a few grams on samples of a few centimeters long from the small intestine of rodents. It features various sensors, including two cameras, whose images are used to measure the deformation rates of the intestine subjected to external constraints as well as its own mechanical activity.

Video showing the mechanical activity of a portion of the intestine under constant load.