Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026
07:20
Human Skeletal Muscle Biopsy Procedures Using the Modified Bergström Technique
Published on: September 10, 2014
Potential Influence of Myokines on Skeletal Muscle Tissue Hypertrophy Signaling Pathways: A Narrative Review
Stephen M Cornish1,2,3, Jose Peralta-Huertas1
1Applied Health Sciences Program, Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada.
Biomolecules
|June 26, 2026
Summary
This review explores how myokines, or
Area of Science:
- Muscle physiology and aging research.
Background:
- Sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and function, is a growing concern in aging populations.
- Myokines are signaling molecules released by skeletal muscle, influencing various physiological processes.
- The autocrine role of myokines in skeletal muscle metabolism remains underexplored, particularly in humans.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the biological context and molecular pathways of myokine function.
- To elucidate the autocrine mechanisms of myokines in skeletal muscle anabolism and catabolism.
- To highlight the role of myokines in skeletal muscle regeneration and satellite cell interaction.
Main Methods:
- Literature review synthesizing current research on myokines and skeletal muscle.
- Analysis of molecular pathways involved in skeletal muscle anabolism and catabolism.
- Examination of evidence linking myokines to satellite cell activity and muscle regeneration.
Main Results:
- Myokines play a role in muscle-to-muscle communication and may act on skeletal muscle itself (autocrine).
- Research in rodent models suggests myokine involvement in muscle hypertrophy and atrophy.
- Limited human studies exist on the autocrine effects of myokines on anabolic and catabolic metabolism.
Conclusions:
- Myokines have potential anabolic functions within skeletal muscle.
- Further research is needed to understand myokine roles in maintaining muscle mass in aging.
- Investigating myokine autocrine action is crucial for developing strategies against sarcopenia.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Cellular Adaptation II: Hypertrophy
Hypertrophy is the increase in the size of individual cells, resulting in the enlargement of a tissue or organ. Unlike hyperplasia, which involves an increase in cell number, hypertrophy is characterized by an increase in cell volume. This process often occurs in response to higher functional demand or hormonal stimulation, leading to the production of more structural proteins and organelles, thereby enhancing the cells' work capacity.There are two primary types of hypertrophy: physiological...
01:13Formation of Muscle Fibers from Myoblasts
De novo myogenesis, or the formation of muscle fibers, begins during the early embryonic stages. The skeletal muscle is formed from somites– blocks of embryonic cell layers. The somites are further divided into dermatomes, myotomes, sclerotomes, and syndetomes. Among these, the myotomes give rise to muscle fibers.
Muscle progenitor cells (MPCs) are formed from the myotomes. MPCs express genes that encode the transcription factors Pax3 and Pax7. Along with Pax 3/7, other transcription factors...
Muscle progenitor cells (MPCs) are formed from the myotomes. MPCs express genes that encode the transcription factors Pax3 and Pax7. Along with Pax 3/7, other transcription factors...
01:15Overview of Skeletal Muscle
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,...
01:10The Role of Actin and Myosin in Non-muscle Cells
Actin and myosin or actomyosin filaments also play a significant role in cells other than those involved in muscle contraction (which occurs within the sarcomere of muscle cells). The mechanism of non-muscle cell contractile bundles was first observed in Dictyostelium and Acanthamoeba. In non-muscle cells, two bundles are commonly found: stress fibers and actomyosin adherence belts. These contractile bundles are smaller and less organized than the ones found in muscle cells. They are held...
01:15Muscle Contraction
01:25Smooth Muscle Contraction
Smooth muscle contraction is a complex process vital for various bodily functions, from maintaining blood vessel tension to facilitating the movement of food through the digestive tract. Unlike striated muscles, smooth muscle contraction begins more slowly and lasts longer.
The onset of contraction is triggered by an increase in calcium ions within the sarcoplasm, similar to the process in striated muscle. However, smooth muscles have a relatively smaller reservoir of the sarcoplasmic...
The onset of contraction is triggered by an increase in calcium ions within the sarcoplasm, similar to the process in striated muscle. However, smooth muscles have a relatively smaller reservoir of the sarcoplasmic...