Figure 3–
Active length–force relationship before and after length adaptation. From in situ length (Lref), the airway smooth muscle strips were either shortened or lengthened to 0.50, 0.75, 1.25, and 1.50 Lref (refer to fig. 4 for sequence and time course of length changes and stimulation). Active force before (solid lines and closed symbols) and after (dashed lines and open symbols) length adaptation are shown. Fmax: maximal trachealis muscle isometric force. Error bars indicate sem, n=6 for each group. *: p<0.05, ***: p<0.01; compared with the nonasthmatic before length adaptation at the given length. ###: p<0.01; compared with the asthmatic before length adaptation at the given length. ¶: p<0.05; compared with the nonasthmatic after length adaptation at the given length.