Molecular Signals Mediating Increases in Muscle Size and Function
ORIGINAL AIR DATE: TUES, MAY 14TH, 2024
In this webinar, Dr. Bert Blaauw elucidates skeletal muscle regulatory pathways and offers approaches to tackle muscle deficits for therapy.
Dr. Blaauw presents a detailed exploration of the regulatory pathways underpinning adult skeletal muscle mass and function, focusing particularly on the Akt-mTORC1 signaling pathway. He clarifies the misconception that muscle mass and size are synonymous, explaining that increased size doesn’t always mean enhanced function. The critical intracellular processes bolstered by muscle activity and exercise, which contribute to muscle strength and performance is also presented. Finally, Dr. Blaauw introduces a strategic workflow to identify and address muscle deficits in dysfunctional muscles, a key step for targeted therapeutic interventions.
Key Topics Include:
- How mass and size do not always go together
- Which intracellular processes are important in increasing muscle function
- How muscle activity/exercise impinges on some of these processes
- Workflow to identify sites of muscle deficit in dysfunctional muscles
SPEAKER
Associate Professor/PI
Department of Biomedical Sciences/Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine
University of Padova
Bert Blaauw is an academic researcher from University of Padua. During the first phase of his independent career, he led the work that identified the functional role of mTORC1 in muscle homeostasis and growth. In the lab, they set up various approaches to determine muscle function in whole muscles in vivo, isolated muscles ex-vivo, and isolated muscle fibers in vitro. This in-depth analysis of muscle function has allowed the lab to link changes in muscle signaling or structural proteins to alterations in muscle function, and vice-versa.