Y. Ichinose

Bio: Y. Ichinose is an academic researcher from University of Tokyo. The author has contributed to research in topics: Vastus lateralis muscle & Isometric exercise. The author has an hindex of 11, co-authored 14 publications receiving 1813 citations.

Architectural and functional features of human triceps surae muscles during contraction

Abstract: Architectural properties of the triceps surae muscles were determined in vivo for six men. The ankle was positioned at 15° dorsiflexion (−15°) and 0, 15, and 30° plantar flexion, with the knee set ...

Determination of fascicle length and pennation in a contracting human muscle in vivo

Abstract: Fukunaga, Tetsuo, Yoshiho Ichinose, Masamitsu Ito, Yasuo Kawakami, and Senshi Fukashiro. Determination of fascicle length and pennation in a contracting human muscle in vivo.J. Appl. Physiol. 82(1)...

Nonisometric behavior of fascicles during isometric contractions of a human muscle

Abstract: Fascicle length, pennation angle, and tendon elongation of the human tibialis anterior were measured in vivo by ultrasonography. Subjects (n = 9) were requested to develop isometric dorsiflexion to...

Ultrasonography gives directly but noninvasively elastic characteristic of human tendon in vivo.

Abstract: To obtain an insight into tendon elasticity during human movement, a real-time ultrasonography was applied to the contracting tibialis anterior muscle. The insertion point of fascicles onto the aponeurosis was clearly visualized, and its position relative to a fixed marker on the skin moved proximally (Δ1) according to the increasing dorsiflexion force (ΔF) with a fixed ankle joint. Notably, the Δ1 − ΔF relationship in the tendon was found to be quadratic in nature (ΔF = cΔ12; c=1.48 ∼ 2.24, r=0.985 ∼ 0.992, n=9) as has been reported in the isolated tendon, although the ΔF − Δ1 curves were slightly underestimated in comparison with the stiffness constant estimated from tendon architecture. This underestimation might be caused by changes in the height of the foot arch with the application of force.

Estimation of active force-length characteristics of human vastus lateralis muscle

Abstract: The length and angles of fascicles were determined for the vastus lateralis muscle (VL) using ultrasonography in 6 subjects performing ramp isometric knee extension. The subject increased torque from zero (relax) to maximum (MVC) with the knee positioned every 15 degrees, from 10 degrees to 100 degrees flexion (0 degrees = full extension). As the knee was positioned closer to extension, fascicle length was shorter [116 +/- 4.7 (mean +/- SEM) mm at 100 degrees vs. 88 +/- 4.1 mm at 10 degrees (relax)]. The fascicle length of the VL decreased with increasing torque at each knee position [116 +/- 4.7 (relax) to 92 +/- 4.3 mm (MVC) at 100 degrees]. On the other hand, fascicle angles increased with an increase in torque. These changes reflected the compliance of the muscle-tendon complex which increased as the knee reached a straight position. The estimated muscle force of the VL was maximal (2,052 +/- 125 N) for a fascicle length of 78 +/- 2.7 mm (i.e. optimum length) with the knee positioned at 70 degrees of flexion. The relationship between muscle force and fascicle length indicated that the VL uses the ascending (knee 70 degrees) of the force-length curve.

Role of Extracellular Matrix in Adaptation of Tendon and Skeletal Muscle to Mechanical Loading

Abstract: The extracellular matrix (ECM), and especially the connective tissue with its collagen, links tissues of the body together and plays an important role in the force transmission and tissue structure maintenance especially in tendons, ligaments, bone, and muscle. The ECM turnover is influenced by physical activity, and both collagen synthesis and degrading metalloprotease enzymes increase with mechanical loading. Both transcription and posttranslational modifications, as well as local and systemic release of growth factors, are enhanced following exercise. For tendons, metabolic activity, circulatory responses, and collagen turnover are demonstrated to be more pronounced in humans than hitherto thought. Conversely, inactivity markedly decreases collagen turnover in both tendon and muscle. Chronic loading in the form of physical training leads both to increased collagen turnover as well as, dependent on the type of collagen in question, some degree of net collagen synthesis. These changes will modify the mechanical properties and the viscoelastic characteristics of the tissue, decrease its stress, and likely make it more load resistant. Cross-linking in connective tissue involves an intimate, enzymatical interplay between collagen synthesis and ECM proteoglycan components during growth and maturation and influences the collagen-derived functional properties of the tissue. With aging, glycation contributes to additional cross-linking which modifies tissue stiffness. Physiological signaling pathways from mechanical loading to changes in ECM most likely involve feedback signaling that results in rapid alterations in the mechanical properties of the ECM. In developing skeletal muscle, an important interplay between muscle cells and the ECM is present, and some evidence from adult human muscle suggests common signaling pathways to stimulate contractile and ECM components. Unaccostumed overloading responses suggest an important role of ECM in the adaptation of myofibrillar structures in adult muscle. Development of overuse injury in tendons involve morphological and biochemical changes including altered collagen typing and fibril size, hypervascularization zones, accumulation of nociceptive substances, and impaired collagen degradation activity. Counteracting these phenomena requires adjusted loading rather than absence of loading in the form of immobilization. Full understanding of these physiological processes will provide the physiological basis for understanding of tissue overloading and injury seen in both tendons and muscle with repetitive work and leisure time physical activity.

The adaptations to strength training : morphological and neurological contributions to increased strength.

Abstract: High-resistance strength training (HRST) is one of the most widely practiced forms of physical activity, which is used to enhance athletic performance, augment musculo-skeletal health and alter body aesthetics. Chronic exposure to this type of activity produces marked increases in muscular strength, which are attributed to a range of neurological and morphological adaptations. This review assesses the evidence for these adaptations, their interplay and contribution to enhanced strength and the methodologies employed. The primary morphological adaptations involve an increase in the cross-sectional area of the whole muscle and individual muscle fibres, which is due to an increase in myofibrillar size and number. Satellite cells are activated in the very early stages of training; their proliferation and later fusion with existing fibres appears to be intimately involved in the hypertrophy response. Other possible morphological adaptations include hyperplasia, changes in fibre type, muscle architecture, myofilament density and the structure of connective tissue and tendons. Indirect evidence for neurological adaptations, which encompasses learning and coordination, comes from the specificity of the training adaptation, transfer of unilateral training to the contralateral limb and imagined contractions. The apparent rise in whole-muscle specific tension has been primarily used as evidence for neurological adaptations; however, morphological factors (e.g. preferential hypertrophy of type 2 fibres, increased angle of fibre pennation, increase in radiological density) are also likely to contribute to this phenomenon. Changes in inter-muscular coordination appear critical. Adaptations in agonist muscle activation, as assessed by electromyography, tetanic stimulation and the twitch interpolation technique, suggest small, but significant increases. Enhanced firing frequency and spinal reflexes most likely explain this improvement, although there is contrary evidence suggesting no change in cortical or corticospinal excitability. The gains in strength with HRST are undoubtedly due to a wide combination of neurological and morphological factors. Whilst the neurological factors may make their greatest contribution during the early stages of a training programme, hypertrophic processes also commence at the onset of training.

Functional and clinical significance of skeletal muscle architecture.

Abstract: Skeletal muscle architecture is the structural property of whole muscles that dominates their function. This review describes the basic architectural properties of human upper and lower extremity muscles. The designs of various muscle groups in humans and other species are analyzed from the point of view of optimizing function. Muscle fiber arrangement and motor unit arrangement is discussed in terms of the control of movement. Finally, the ability of muscles to change their architecture in response to immobilization, eccentric exercise, and surgical tendon transfer is reviewed. Future integrative physiological studies will provide insights into the mechanisms by which such adaptations occur. It is likely that muscle fibers transduce both stress and strain and respond by modifying sarcomere number in a way more suited to the new biomechanical environment.

Neuromusculoskeletal Modeling: Estimation of Muscle Forces and Joint Moments and Movements From Measurements of Neural Command

Abstract: This paper provides an overview of forward dynamic neuromusculoskeletal modeling The aim of such models is to estimate or predict muscle forces, joint moments, and/or joint kinematics from neural signals This is a four-step process In the first step, muscle activation dynamics govern the transformation from the neural signal to a measure of muscle activation—a time varying parameter between 0 and 1 In the second step, muscle contraction dynamics characterize how muscle activations are transformed into muscle forces The third step requires a model of the musculoskeletal geometry to transform muscle forces to joint moments Finally, the equations of motion allow joint moments to be transformed into joint movements Each step involves complex nonlinear relationships The focus of this paper is on the details involved in the first two steps, since these are the most challenging to the biomechanician The global process is then explained through applications to the study of predicting isometric elbow moments and dynamic knee kinetics

Measurement of muscle contraction with ultrasound imaging.

Abstract: To investigate the ability of ultrasonography to estimate muscle activity, we measured architectural parameters (pennation angles, fascicle lengths, and muscle thickness) of several human muscles (tibialis anterior, biceps brachii, brachialis, transversus abdominis, obliquus internus abdominis, and obliquus externus abdominis) during isometric contractions of from 0 to 100% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). Concurrently, electromyographic (EMG) activity was measured with surface (tibialis anterior only) or fine-wire electrodes. Most architectural parameters changed markedly with contractions up to 30% MVC but changed little at higher levels of contraction. Thus, ultrasound imaging can be used to detect low levels of muscle activity but cannot discriminate between moderate and strong contractions. Ultrasound measures could reliably detect changes in EMG of as little as 4% MVC (biceps muscle thickness), 5% MVC (brachialis muscle thickness), or 9% MVC (tibialis anterior pennation angle). They were generally less sensitive to changes in abdominal muscle activity, but it was possible to reliably detect contractions of 12% MVC in transversus abdominis (muscle length) and 22% MVC in obliquus internus (muscle thickness). Obliquus externus abdominis thickness did not change consistently with muscle contraction, so ultrasound measures of thickness cannot be used to detect activity of this muscle. Ultrasound imaging can thus provide a noninvasive method of detecting isometric muscle contractions of certain individual muscles.