Elastic modulus of the thin filament under normal conditions and during heart failure

We developed an original approach to prepare samples for electron microscopy in electric field allowing calculation of the Youngs modulus of the thin filament in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the filament (longitudinal to the protomer) under normal conditions and during heart failure induced by 10-day toxic and allergic myocarditis. Electric field stretches thin filaments in the transverse direction and the increase in its diameter linearly depends on the applied voltage. The elastic modulus was in inverse proportion to the applied voltage. We found that during heart failure thin filament had an extreme conformation and to a great extent lost its mobility.