Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 29, 2026
08:33
Induction and Assessment of Exertional Skeletal Muscle Damage in Humans
Published on: December 11, 2016
7.9K
Physical Exercise and Epigenetic Modifications in Skeletal Muscle
Manuel Widmann1, Andreas M Nieß1, Barbara Munz2
1Department of Sports Medicine, University Medicine Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 6, D-72076, Tübingen, Germany.
Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)
|February 20, 2019
Summary
Regular exercise drives epigenetic changes in skeletal muscle, influencing gene expression and adaptations. These epigenetic modifications may guide personalized training and predict exercise responses.
Area of Science:
- Exercise science
- Molecular biology
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Physical activity is crucial for human health, reducing risks of chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
- Exercise induces molecular adaptations in skeletal muscle, altering gene expression patterns (transcriptome).
- Understanding these adaptations is key for developing effective exercise-based therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on epigenetic changes in skeletal muscle due to exercise.
- To identify target genes and resulting phenotypic changes.
- To explore the potential of epigenetic modifications as biomarkers for training optimization and as targets for therapeutic interventions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on exercise-induced epigenetic modifications in skeletal muscle.
- Analysis of DNA modifications, histone modifications, and microRNA expression.
- Correlation of epigenetic changes with gene expression and phenotypic outcomes.
Main Results:
- Exercise significantly impacts skeletal muscle epigenetics, including DNA methylation and histone modifications.
- These epigenetic alterations modulate the expression of genes involved in muscle adaptation and metabolism.
- Specific microRNAs are implicated in mediating exercise-induced transcriptional changes.
Conclusions:
- Epigenetic mechanisms are central to skeletal muscle's response to exercise.
- Epigenetic modifications hold promise as predictive markers for training adaptation and as targets for novel therapeutic strategies.
- Further research could lead to 'exercise mimics' based on epigenetic modulation.
Related Concept Videos
01:48Classification of Skeletal Muscle Fibers
59.5K
Skeletal muscles continuously produce ATP to provide the energy that enables muscle contractions. Skeletal muscle fibers can be categorized into three types based on differences in their contraction speed and how they produce ATP, as well as physical differences related to these factors. Most human muscles contain all three muscle fiber types, albeit in varying proportions.
Slow-Twitch Muscle Fibers
Slow oxidative, muscle fibers appear red due to large numbers of capillaries and high levels of...
Slow-Twitch Muscle Fibers
Slow oxidative, muscle fibers appear red due to large numbers of capillaries and high levels of...
59.5K
01:46Epigenetic Regulation
33.7K
Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
33.7K
01:27Exercise and Muscle Performance
2.4K
Exercise induces a range of adaptations in muscle tissue, depending on the type and duration of activity. Such physical training can be broadly categorized into two types: endurance exercises and resistance exercises.
Endurance exercises
Endurance exercises involve running, swimming, or cycling, which require repetitive movements with low force output. When a person engages in endurance exercise, a few noticeable changes occur in their skeletal muscles. For instance, the number of capillaries...
Endurance exercises
Endurance exercises involve running, swimming, or cycling, which require repetitive movements with low force output. When a person engages in endurance exercise, a few noticeable changes occur in their skeletal muscles. For instance, the number of capillaries...
2.4K
01:15Overview of Skeletal Muscle
14.6K
Skeletal muscles are composed of a bundle of muscle fibers and are attached to bones through tendons. Each skeletal muscle fiber is a single muscle cell. The sarcolemma, the plasma membrane of a skeletal muscle cell, consists of a lipid bilayer and glycocalyx that supports muscle fibers. The sarcolemma extends into the muscle cells to form tubular structures called transverse or T-tubules. Each side of the T-tubules consists of a membrane-bound structure called the sarcoplasmic reticulum,...
14.6K
01:29Relaxation of Skeletal Muscles
5.8K
The period of muscle contraction primarily influences the duration of stimulation at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), the presence of free calcium ions in the sarcoplasm, and the availability of energy or ATP to support contractions.
When an action potential reaches the axon terminal, it depolarizes the membrane and opens voltage-gated sodium channels. Sodium ions enter the cell, further depolarizing the presynaptic membrane. This depolarization causes voltage-gated calcium channels to open....
When an action potential reaches the axon terminal, it depolarizes the membrane and opens voltage-gated sodium channels. Sodium ions enter the cell, further depolarizing the presynaptic membrane. This depolarization causes voltage-gated calcium channels to open....
5.8K
01:28Disorders of the Skeletal Muscle
1.9K
The clinical conditions affecting the skeletal muscle tissue are broadly categorized as musculoskeletal and neuromuscular disorders.
Musculoskeletal disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders involve injuries and conditions affecting the skeletal muscles and associated connective tissues. These disorders can arise from acute biomechanical stresses or chronic overuse and can occur across different age groups. Common injuries include sprains, fractures, and muscular strains, often resulting from...
Musculoskeletal disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders involve injuries and conditions affecting the skeletal muscles and associated connective tissues. These disorders can arise from acute biomechanical stresses or chronic overuse and can occur across different age groups. Common injuries include sprains, fractures, and muscular strains, often resulting from...
1.9K