# ELECTRICAL AND CONTRACTILE PROPERTIES OF MUSCLE

> **NIH NIH R01** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 1988 · $312,008

## Abstract

Skeletal muscle fibers when depolarized to a potential at which contraction is
activated show a small, transient outward current which can be attributed to
movement or rearrangement of charges confined to the membrane.  The
characteristics of this voltage dependent charge movement suggest that it may
play a role in activating contraction.  Experiments are planned to compare some
of the properties of these charge movements with those of Ca ion release to see
whether, in fact, the two processes are related.  If so, we shall try to find
out what the relationship is.
Indicator dyes will be used to obtain estimates of intracellular pH and Mg ions
in muscle fibers and to see whether dyes behave differently inside muscle
fibers, because of binding, than they do in cuvettes.
An attempt will be made to synthesize new and better Ca ion indicator dyes.
These need to form complexes with Ca ions of simple stoichiometry, to be
insensitive to changes in pH and Mg, to be fast, and to not bind to cellular
constituents.  A search will be made to find a dye that has a high affinity for
Ca ions so that most of the Ca ions released during a twitch would be bound to
the dye.  Optical signals from this dye would be used to study the time course
of Ca ion release rather than the time course of ionized Ca ions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3158265
- **Project number:** 5R01AR037643-21
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** FL6GV84CKN57
- **Principal Investigator:** WILLIAM K CHANDLER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $312,008
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1986-01-01 → 1990-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3158265

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3158265, ELECTRICAL AND CONTRACTILE PROPERTIES OF MUSCLE (5R01AR037643-21). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-24 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3158265. Licensed CC0.

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