. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Jan 1.

Published in final edited form as: Neuromuscul Disord. 2011 Jul 6;22(1):43–49. doi: 10.1016/j.nmd.2011.04.012

Table 1. Examples of mdx muscles widely used for morphological, biochemical and functional outcome measures.

This table should help in choosing muscles for the planned endpoint assessments. Legend: ✓ ✓ = particularly appropriate; ✓ = appropriate; X = not suitable.

Muscle Name	Type	Morpho	Biochem	Function
Diaphragm (DIA)^a	fast	✓ ✓	✓ ✓	✓ ✓
Extensor digitorum longus (EDL)^b	fast	✓	✓	✓ ✓
Gastrocnemius (GAS)^c	mixed	✓ ✓	✓ ✓	✓^*
Quadriceps (QUAD)^d	mixed	✓ ✓	✓ ✓	X
Biceps/Triceps (BB/TB)^e	mixed	✓	✓	X
Tibialis anterior (TA)^f	fast	✓ ✓^**	✓	✓^*
Soleus (SOL)^g	slow	✓ ✓	✓	✓ ✓

Severe phenotype[28], should be used as much as possible;

Small size: size makes a muscle more suitable for functional assays like physiological recordings;

Large size, heterogeneous fiber type composition, affected by exercise[4, 29, 30];

Large size, affected by exercise[4, 29, 30];

As back-up if GAS/QUAD not sufficient;

Large size, accessible[29];

Small size. As a purely slow muscle, Soleus is more preserved from dystrophic pathology.

Only in in situ studies.

^**

Less affected by standard exercise regimes that induce muscle damage and contraction-induced pathological injury; but badly affected during onset of necrosis.