Research Description
Effects of functional activity on skeletal muscle growth and regeneration
We are studying the effects of activity load on the process of nuclear accretion during skeletal muscle growth and regeneration. Specifically, growing or damaged muscles fail to develop normally when the muscles are placed in a no-load or weightless environment. A fundamental change is in the behavior of satellite cells, which no longer divide mitotically. Consequently, the source of new myonuclei during growth or regeneration is cut off and muscle fibers fail to reach their growth potential. Interestingly, when the muscles are returned to function in normal gravity conditions, the growth deficit incurred during the period in weightlessness is not recovered and the muscle remains smaller than control. The failure to recover from a growth period in weightlessness may be due to a loss in a subset of satellite cells responsible for supplying the myofibers with additional myonuclei. We are investigating how satellite cell populations are altered by environment and function by using a number of immunological markers to characterize and monitor the satellite cell population during a variety of experimental conditions.
Recent Publications
Schultz, E. 1996 Satellite cell proliferative compartments in growing skeletal muscles. Dev. Biol. 175:84-94.
Mozdziak, P.E., P.M. Pulvermacher, and E. Schultz 2000 Unloading of juvenile muscle results in reduced muscle size nine weeks after reloading. J. Appl. Physiol. 88:158-164.
Mozdziak, P.E., P.M. Pulvermacher, and E. Schultz. 2001 Muscle regeneration during hindlimb unloading results in a reduction in muscle size following reloading. J Appl. Physiol. 91:183-190
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