Functional measurement of respiratory muscle motor behaviors using transdiaphragmatic pressure

Abstract

The diaphragm muscle must be able to generate sufficient forces to accomplish a range of ventilatory and non-ventilatory behaviors throughout life. Measurements of transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdi) can be conducted during eupnea, hypoxia (10 % O2)-hypercapnia (5 % CO2), chemical airway stimulation (i.e., sneezing), spontaneously occurring deep breaths (i.e., sighs), sustained airway or tracheal occlusion, and maximal efforts elicited via bilateral phrenic nerve stimulation, representing the full range of motor behaviors available by the diaphragm muscle. We provide detailed methods on the in vivo measurements of Pdi in mice.