Nuclear Mechanotransduction in Skeletal Muscle

Area of Science:

• Muscle biology
• Cell mechanics
• Biophysics

Background:

• Skeletal muscle comprises multinucleated myofibers for contraction and quiescent muscle cell precursors (MCPs).
• Muscle plasticity allows adaptation to mechanical stress, involving both myofibers and MCPs.
• Nuclear mechanotransduction, the process of external forces influencing nuclear events, is crucial for muscle plasticity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current understanding of nuclear force transmission mechanisms in skeletal muscle.
• To explore the role of the cytoskeleton and nuclear rearrangements in myogenic differentiation and mechanotransduction.
• To discuss the application of these findings to muscular disorders and identify future research directions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of contemporary research on nuclear mechanotransduction in skeletal muscle.
• Analysis of studies investigating cytoskeletal involvement and nuclear reorganization during myogenic differentiation.
• Synthesis of findings related to muscular disorders and identification of knowledge gaps.

Main Results:

• Mechanical loading causes nuclear deformation, altering lamina organization, chromatin state, and cell signaling in muscle cells.
• These nuclear changes critically influence myogenic cell fate decisions and contribute to muscle plasticity.
• The cytoskeleton plays a significant role in transmitting mechanical forces to the nucleus.

Conclusions:

• Nuclear mechanotransduction is a fundamental mechanism underlying skeletal muscle plasticity.
• Understanding force transmission to the nucleus is vital for developing therapeutic strategies for muscular disorders.
• Further research is needed to fully elucidate the complexities of nuclear mechanotransduction in muscle adaptation and disease.