Ribosome profiles from human skeletal muscle as a measure of protein synthesis

The purpose of this overview is to present an outline of ribosome assessment as an estimation of in vivo protein synthesis in human skeletal muscle. The method of analysis will be described and discussed together with a variety of physiological states validating the usefulness of the technique. Applications to several clinical situations will then be described, as well as the co-variation with other techniques for estimating protein metabolism. Finally, the pros and cons of the ribosome technique will be discussed.