Fig. 5. Cumulative relaxation dynamics of the various myotubes. The results show that cells relax more quickly and to a greater extent when grown on top of other cells; and less so when treated with blebbistatin. (A) No significant difference is seen in the relaxation dynamics of cells exposed to DMSO (three cultures) compared to cells exposed only to media (five cultures). Data are time-binned averages all cells, with error bars representing the standard error of the mean. The bold line is the exponential fit for all 29 cells, R²=0.94. (B) Control cells relax to an average equilibrium length that is A=90% of their initial length. Blebbistatin-treated cells (three cultures) relax significantly less, whereas cells relaxing off other cells (three cultures) relax more. Blebbistatin-treated cells relaxing off other cells (two cultures) also relax more than blebbistatin-treated cells on glass. (C) The amplitudes, A, of each fit, indicate clear differences in the fraction of cell relaxation at equilibrium. (D) In all cases, the time constant for relaxation is greater when the cell is perturbed; but the slowest relaxation occurs in blebbistatin cells-on-glass.