Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 15, 2025
09:50
Application of Chronic Stimulation to Study Contractile Activity-induced Rat Skeletal Muscle Phenotypic Adaptations
Published on: January 25, 2018
7.0K
Exercise adaptations: molecular mechanisms and potential targets for therapeutic benefit
Sean L McGee1, Mark Hargreaves2
1Metabolic Research Unit, School of Medicine and Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (iMPACT), Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia. sean.mcgee@deakin.edu.au.
Nature Reviews. Endocrinology
|July 8, 2020
Summary
Regular exercise enhances skeletal muscle function through epigenetic and transcriptional adaptations, improving metabolism and offering new therapeutic strategies for chronic diseases. This review details these molecular mechanisms and their potential applications.
Area of Science:
- Exercise physiology
- Molecular biology
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Physical inactivity is linked to numerous chronic diseases.
- Regular exercise improves metabolism and tissue function, particularly in skeletal muscle.
- Skeletal muscle adaptations to exercise involve complex transcriptional responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the beneficial adaptive responses of skeletal muscle to exercise.
- To detail the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms underlying these adaptations.
- To explore therapeutic strategies based on exercise biology for chronic conditions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent advancements in exercise science.
- Analysis of epigenetic and transcriptional regulation in skeletal muscle.
- Examination of signaling pathways activated by exercise.
Main Results:
- Exercise induces adaptive transcriptional responses in skeletal muscle, enhancing oxidative capacity.
- These adaptations involve epigenetic modifications and upstream signaling pathways.
- Myokines and extracellular vesicles mediate inter-tissue communication post-exercise.
Conclusions:
- Understanding exercise-induced molecular mechanisms opens avenues for novel therapeutic interventions.
- Exercise biology can be leveraged to develop treatments for conditions where physical activity is difficult.
- Targeting these pathways may offer new strategies for managing chronic diseases.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Exercise and Muscle Performance
2.1K
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...
2.1K
01:26Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System
780
The activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) contributes to cardiac remodeling, and inhibiting the RAAS is a pharmacological target in heart failure management. As a result, neurohumoral modulation is a crucial treatment principle for managing heart failure. This approach involves using medications like ACE inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), β-blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), and neutral...
780
01:30Heart Failure V: Medical Management
140
Medical Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (ADHF)The primary goals of therapy for patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) include:Relieving symptomsOptimizing volume statusSupporting oxygenation and ventilationMaintaining cardiac output (CO) and end-organ perfusionIdentifying and addressing the cause of ADHFPreventing complicationsProviding patient education on factors precipitating HF exacerbationPlanning for dischargeOngoing monitoring and assessment...
140
01:27Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors
3.7K
Enzyme-linked receptors are cell-surface receptors acting as an enzyme or associating with an enzyme intracellularly. They make excellent drug targets. Drugs can bind to the extracellular ligand-binding domain or directly affect their enzymatic domain and alter their activity.
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
3.7K
01:20Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
3.7K
Exercise significantly impacts cardiovascular response, which is crucial for understanding patient health and designing effective treatment plans.
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
3.7K
01:26Atherosclerosis III: Management
255
Management of atherosclerosis involves an integrated strategy encompassing pharmacological treatment, surgical interventions, lifestyle changes, and nutrition therapy to address the multifactorial nature of the disease.Pharmacological TherapyA cornerstone of atherosclerosis management is the use of pharmacological agents. Statins, such as atorvastatin, are pivotal in inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme that catalyzes an initial step in cholesterol synthesis in the liver. This reduction in...
255