Abstract:
"Multiscale models of skeletal muscle reveal the complex effects of muscular dystrophy on tissue mechanics and damage susceptibility"
This paper presents a comprehensive multiscale biomechanical modeling framework to investigate how Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) alters skeletal muscle tissue mechanics and damage susceptibility. The authors integrate microstructural muscle fiber geometries—generated via an agent-based model—with macroscale finite-element models representing muscle fascicle cross-sections. Simulations explore variations in fiber arrangement and disease-induced adaptations such as fibrosis, changes in transmembrane protein density, and fiber cross-sectional area. Analysis reveals that these pathological microstructural changes increase localized strain concentrations and stiffness, exacerbating the risk of membrane damage under mechanical load. By quantifying the complex interplay between muscle architecture and mechanical stress response, the study offers vital biomechanical insights into DMD progression, providing a foundation for targeted therapies and improved predictive modeling of muscle injury.
