Biaxial testing of the passive properties of mdx and healthy diaphragm before and after enzymatic collagen digestion

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disease characterized by muscle degeneration and fibrosis, often leading to respiratory failure. Diaphragm sections from mdx and healthy mice were biaxially tested to determine passive properties before and after enzymatic collagen digestion. We found that following collagen digestion, mdx muscle tissue was not significantly different from healthy tissue.