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Worm study sparks hope for slowing muscle decline

A recent study published in the FASEB Journal has found that inhibiting various stages of mitochondrial dysfunction can suppress muscle atrophy. Researchers used Caenorhabditis elegans worms to model human muscle diseases and showed that experimental drugs could prevent muscle decline caused by dysfunctional mitochondria.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalThe FASEB Journal·DateJun 7, 2019

Antibodies stabilize plaque in arteries

Researchers found that IgG antibodies play a crucial role in stabilizing arterial plaques, reducing the risk of rupture and clotting. The study suggests that these antibodies may be a new target for mitigating atherosclerosis and improving cardiovascular health.

SourceKarolinska Institutet·JournalCirculation·DateMar 21, 2019

UMN study provides new insight into use of cell replacement therapies to treat muscular dystrophies

A University of Minnesota Medical School research breakthrough highlights the potential of cell therapies for treating muscular dystrophy. The study identifies the molecular signature of muscle stem cells generated in vitro and their transformation upon transplantation into mice with muscular dystrophy.

SourceUniversity of Minnesota Medical School·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 13, 2019

Muscle memory discovery ends 'use it or lose it' dogma

Researchers have found that nuclei gained during training persist even when muscle cells shrink due to disuse or disease, allowing for rapid growth when retrained. This discovery has important implications for public health policy and suggests that exercise in early life can help prevent frailty in old age.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Physiology·DateJan 25, 2019

It takes a village...

Researchers identify myofibroblasts as key players in activating nucleus movement, potentially leading to new therapeutic strategies for muscle disorders. The discovery could improve understanding of muscle differentiation, functionality, and regeneration.

SourceInstituto de Medicina Molecular·JournalDevelopmental Cell·DateJul 9, 2018

New target for treating heart failure identified by Penn Medicine researchers

Researchers from Penn Medicine identified a new target for treating heart failure by reversing the stiffness of diseased heart muscle cell struts, which can improve the beating strength of cells isolated from transplant patients. The team aims to develop therapies that seek out damaged cellular struts to reverse their harmful influence.

New gene therapy sparks healthy heart beats

A new gene therapy approach has shown dramatic reduction of post-infarction arrhythmias in mice by electrically coupling non-excitable cells to undamaged heart cells. The treatment involves introducing a single gene, Connexin43, which bridges the conduction block in damaged hearts.

SourceCornell University·JournalScientific Reports·DateMay 9, 2018

Nature, meet nurture

Researchers found diverse landscape of gene expression changes across all cell types in visual cortex, involving 611 genes linked to neural connectivity. The study suggests that each cell has a unique genetic program tailored to its function within the neural circuit.

SourceHarvard Medical School·JournalNature Neuroscience·DateFeb 8, 2018

More than 100,000 switches

A research team led by Dr. Ralf Gilsbach and Prof. Dr. Lutz Hein from the University of Freiburg has mapped out the gene regulators in the DNA of human cardiac muscle cells for the first time. They discovered over 100,000 gene switches that control gene activity, providing insight into mechanisms misdirected in heart disease.

SourceUniversity of Freiburg·JournalNature Communications·DateJan 29, 2018

Heart cells sense stiffness by measuring contraction forces and resting tension simultaneously

Researchers at Queen Mary University of London discovered a new mechanism by which heart cells sense stiffness, involving both contraction forces and resting tension. The study found increased resting tension in heart cells after a heart attack or disease, leading to abnormal mechanosensing and signalling that contributes to heart fail...

SourceQueen Mary University of London·JournalDevelopmental Cell·DateJan 25, 2018

Engineers grow functioning human muscle from skin cells

Duke researchers successfully grew functioning human skeletal muscle from induced pluripotent stem cells, offering a promising path for cellular therapies, drug discovery, and studying rare diseases. The technique allows for the growth of far more muscle cells and provides an easier route to genome editing and individualized models.

SourceDuke University·JournalNature Communications·DateJan 9, 2018