State-of-the-art muscle physiology research: from single molecules and cells to living organisms

Muscles in vertebrates are composed of muscle cells, categorized into skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, and smooth muscle. Since the turn of the 21st  century, physiologists have applied various optical and molecular biological technologies to ascertain critical details on the structure and function of muscles. New technologies will further deepen our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of muscle contraction, thereby providing new prospective means to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases at very early stages. This Research Topic encompasses the hierarchical structure and function of skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, and smooth muscle, focusing especially on excitation-contraction coupling, myofibrillar contraction and relaxation, and cellular thermogenesis. Also this article collection will focus on the pre- and postnatal development of the heart, because while maturation of sarcomeres plays a pivotal role in the development of the structure and function of the heart, many of the mechanisms are yet to be resolved. Furthermore, this Research Topic will focus on the regulation of the functions of cardiac muscle and smooth muscle by the autonomic nervous system, especially when under diseased states. This is because the role of the autonomic nervous system in multimorbidity associated with cardiovascular disorders has been receiving much attention; however, the mechanisms of these associations are not fully understood.

This Research Topic will include high quality research papers, short communications, and reviews covering recent advances in muscle physiology and pathophysiology, from single molecules and cells to living organisms. Also welcomed are methods papers describing cutting-edge technologies that can be used to unveil remaining issues in muscle research.

We welcome contributions that cover, but are not limited to, the following aspects:

- Excitation-contraction coupling
- Active and passive properties of sarcomeres
- Single-molecule physiology / biophysics
- Hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathies
- Myofibrillogenesis
- Heart development
- Cardiovascular disorders

The Topic Editors declare no conflict of interest.