The skeletal muscle is a highly adaptable tissue that responds to varying physiological stimuli such as exercise, disuse, hypoxia, nutritional condition, and cellular stress. Both external and internal cues activate muscle signaling pathways (e.g., AMPK and mTOR1), by which mitochondrial function and interactions with other organelles (e.g., ER, lipid droplets) are altered. Emerging evidence indicates that the specification of muscle fiber types is coordinated by changes in mitochondrial morphology and function to meet specific energetic demands. Moreover, abnormal muscle contractility and defects in mitochondrial structures are linked with various pathologies including sarcopenia, heart failure, and metabolic disorders. However, the transcriptional regulation of muscle plasticity and structural transformation of mitochondria remains relatively unexplored, particularly in disease conditions.
Thus, the goal of this Research Topic is to provide new insights into the transcriptional and structural changes in muscle fiber type and mitochondrial organization that occur in response to physiological and pathophysiological stimuli. Therefore, we invite original research manuscripts, short communications, and review papers from investigators whose research focuses on regulating muscle plasticity and visualizing the dynamics of mitochondrial communication with other organelles. This information will be valuable to muscle scientists and physiologists and serve as a reference for the community of mitochondrial and muscle biology.
The skeletal muscle is a highly adaptable tissue that responds to varying physiological stimuli such as exercise, disuse, hypoxia, nutritional condition, and cellular stress. Both external and internal cues activate muscle signaling pathways (e.g., AMPK and mTOR1), by which mitochondrial function and interactions with other organelles (e.g., ER, lipid droplets) are altered. Emerging evidence indicates that the specification of muscle fiber types is coordinated by changes in mitochondrial morphology and function to meet specific energetic demands. Moreover, abnormal muscle contractility and defects in mitochondrial structures are linked with various pathologies including sarcopenia, heart failure, and metabolic disorders. However, the transcriptional regulation of muscle plasticity and structural transformation of mitochondria remains relatively unexplored, particularly in disease conditions.
Thus, the goal of this Research Topic is to provide new insights into the transcriptional and structural changes in muscle fiber type and mitochondrial organization that occur in response to physiological and pathophysiological stimuli. Therefore, we invite original research manuscripts, short communications, and review papers from investigators whose research focuses on regulating muscle plasticity and visualizing the dynamics of mitochondrial communication with other organelles. This information will be valuable to muscle scientists and physiologists and serve as a reference for the community of mitochondrial and muscle biology.