About this Research Topic
Physical limitations and disabilities have been a major problem among the elderly, which significantly reduces the quality of life and increases the risk of injury and even premature death. One major cause of physical limitations is the abnormality in the musculoskeletal system, including the loss of bone mass and density, decrease of muscle mass and strength, reduction of tendon adaptability, and degeneration of the joints. Musculoskeletal disorders affect a wide range of soft and hard tissues, tendons, and, ligaments, and may lead to sarcopenia, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, tendinitis, disc degeneration, and other conditions. It is crucial to unravel the molecular and cellular changes in the musculoskeletal system during aging to better understand the mechanical and functional challenges and explore novel therapeutics for musculoskeletal disorders.
The overall goal of this research topic is to discuss novel findings on the changes in bone, cartilage, muscle, and tendon during aging and age-related health conditions at molecular and cellular levels, and potentially explore new therapeutics to improve the musculoskeletal system. More specifically, we aim to investigate biomarkers of bone and cartilage turnover, skeletal muscle metabolism and cell signaling, molecules including growth factors, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and osteokines that affect bone-muscle unit, cell interactions between osteocytes, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts in the elderly, alteration of connective tissue and extracellular matrix (ECM) during aging, and inflammation responses in age-related diseases. Also, we intend to identify innovative molecular and cellular therapeutics for physical activity-related problems with advanced and emerging techniques.
This Research Topic welcomes submissions on different article types, including original basic or translational research, mini-reviews, systematic reviews, etc. Areas to be covered in this research topic may include (but are not limited to):
•Altered molecular and cellular signaling pathways in the musculoskeletal system during aging
•Extracellular matrix alteration in age-related diseases including disc degeneration, osteoporosis,
osteoarthritis, and sarcopenia
• Connective tissue and cell interaction alteration
• Mechanisms for physical activity-related diseases
• Innovative therapeutics to improve the musculoskeletal system
• Advanced and emerging techniques or biomarkers on identifying age-related musculoskeletal disease
The overall goal of this research topic is to discuss novel findings on the changes in bone, cartilage, muscle, and tendon during aging and age-related health conditions at molecular and cellular levels, and potentially explore new therapeutics to improve the musculoskeletal system. More specifically, we aim to investigate biomarkers of bone and cartilage turnover, skeletal muscle metabolism and cell signaling, molecules including growth factors, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and osteokines that affect bone-muscle unit, cell interactions between osteocytes, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts in the elderly, alteration of connective tissue and extracellular matrix (ECM) during aging, and inflammation responses in age-related diseases. Also, we intend to identify innovative molecular and cellular therapeutics for physical activity-related problems with advanced and emerging techniques.
This Research Topic welcomes submissions on different article types, including original basic or translational research, mini-reviews, systematic reviews, etc. Areas to be covered in this research topic may include (but are not limited to):
•Altered molecular and cellular signaling pathways in the musculoskeletal system during aging
•Extracellular matrix alteration in age-related diseases including disc degeneration, osteoporosis,
osteoarthritis, and sarcopenia
• Connective tissue and cell interaction alteration
• Mechanisms for physical activity-related diseases
• Innovative therapeutics to improve the musculoskeletal system
• Advanced and emerging techniques or biomarkers on identifying age-related musculoskeletal disease
Keywords: aging, musculoskeletal system, sarcopenia, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
