Characterisation of the biomechanical, passive, and active properties of femur-tibia joint leg muscles in the stick insect Carausius morosus [Elektronische Ressource] / vorgelegt von Christoph Guschlbauer

Characterisation of thebiomechanical, passive, and activeproperties of femur-tibia joint legmuscles in the stick insect CarausiusmorosusInaugural-DissertationzurErlangung des Doktorgradesder Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultätder Universität zu Kölnvorgelegt vonChristoph Guschlbaueraus WienKölnFebruar 2009Berichterstatter:Prof.Dr.AnsgarBüschgesProf.Dr.PeterKloppenburgTagdermündlichenPrüfung:30.04.2009AbstractTheunderstandingoflocomotivebehaviourofananimalnecessitatestheknowledgenotonlyaboutitsneuralactivitybutalsoaboutthetransformationofthisactivitypat-ternsintomuscleactivity. Thestickinsectisawellstudiedsystemwithrespecttoitsmotoroutput whichisshapedbytheinterplaybetweensensorysignals, thecentralneuralnetworksforeachlegjointandthecoordinationbetweenthelegs. Themus-cles of the FT (femur-tibia) joint are described in their morphologies and their mo-toneuronal innervation patterns, however little is known about how motoneuronalstimulation affects their force development and shortening behaviour. One of thetwomusclesmovingthejointistheextensortibiae,whichisparticularlysuitableforsuchaninvestigationasitfeaturesonlythreemotoneurons thatcanbeactivatedsi-multaneously,whichcomesclosetoaphysiologicallyoccuringactivationpattern. Itsantagonist, the flexor tibiae, has a more complex innervation and a biomechanicalinvestigationisonlyreasonableatfullmotoneuronalrecruitment.