Page 35 - Petelin, Ana, Nejc Šarabon, eds. 2018. Zdravje starostnikov ▪︎ Health of the Elderly. Zbornik povzetkov z recenzijo ▪︎ Book of Abstracts. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
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ights into muscle atrophy and sarcopenia: plenarna predavanja | plenary lectures
mechanisms and countermeasures
Antonio Musaró
Sapienza, Universita di Roma, Via A. Scarpa, 14, 00161 Roma, Italy
The decline in functional performance and restriction of adaptability repre-
sents the hallmark of sarcopenia. The characteristic loss in muscle mass, cou-
pled with a decrease in strength and force output, has been associated with
a selective activation of catabolic pathways, a general reduction in surviv-
al mechanisms, and alteration in the repair mechanisms. When homeostat-
ic mechanisms are blunted, as in the elderly, muscle tends to be replaced by
non-contractile fibro-adipose tissue, with ensuing loss of muscle function, a
phenomenon that poses an outstanding social burden, as the aged population
increases. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of sarcopenia and how
satellite cell pool is preserved and cells efficiently recruited to maintain muscle
mass and function is a key issue in tackling this problem. We will discuss the sig-
nalling pathways involved in sarcopenia and the cellular and molecular mecha-
nisms that modulate satellite cell activity and muscle regeneration.
Keywords: sarcopenia, IGF-1, catabolic pathways, muscle regeneration,
tissue niche
33
mechanisms and countermeasures
Antonio Musaró
Sapienza, Universita di Roma, Via A. Scarpa, 14, 00161 Roma, Italy
The decline in functional performance and restriction of adaptability repre-
sents the hallmark of sarcopenia. The characteristic loss in muscle mass, cou-
pled with a decrease in strength and force output, has been associated with
a selective activation of catabolic pathways, a general reduction in surviv-
al mechanisms, and alteration in the repair mechanisms. When homeostat-
ic mechanisms are blunted, as in the elderly, muscle tends to be replaced by
non-contractile fibro-adipose tissue, with ensuing loss of muscle function, a
phenomenon that poses an outstanding social burden, as the aged population
increases. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of sarcopenia and how
satellite cell pool is preserved and cells efficiently recruited to maintain muscle
mass and function is a key issue in tackling this problem. We will discuss the sig-
nalling pathways involved in sarcopenia and the cellular and molecular mecha-
nisms that modulate satellite cell activity and muscle regeneration.
Keywords: sarcopenia, IGF-1, catabolic pathways, muscle regeneration,
tissue niche
33
