Fig. 1.

In vitro organ bath studies showing a representative example of the length-tension curve. A: representative example of a length-tension curve performed before each experiment to optimize muscle length. Detrusor smooth muscle (DSM) strips weighing ∼50 mg (3 × 8 mm) were stretched in small increments (∼1.5 mm) sequentially to avoid muscle damage and stimulated with electrical field stimulation (EFS; 80 V, 32 hz, 1-ms duration) until maximum contraction was achieved. The stretch and stimulus cycles were repeated until there was no further increase in force to EFS at which time the muscle strip was determined to be at its optimal length or optimal length (L₀). B: summary data from 9 separate experiments for force generation in response to EFS. The average maximum contraction at L₀ was 6.2 ± 0.24 g force.