Timing the strain: skeletal muscle clock as regulator of physical activity

Skeletal muscle harbors cell-autonomous circadian clock that is implicated in muscle as well as systemic metabolic and physiological functions. Emerging evidence highlights how the muscle clock integrates time-signals to regulate physical activity. Physical activity imposes recurrent and temporally structured physiological and metabolic perturbations. Here we discuss the literature and propose that the muscle clock is well-positioned to execute anticipatory regulation by engaging metabolic programs in advance of predictable muscle demands.