| Theme |
Sarcopenia and bone metabolism |
| Title |
Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying sarcopenia |
| Author |
Tsuyoshi Miyazaki |
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology |
| Author |
Shuuich Mori |
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology |
| Author |
Kazuhiro Shigemoto |
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology |
| [ Summary ] |
Sarcopenia is the degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass and quality, as well as strength associated with aging. Sarcopenia may progress to the extent that an older person may lose his or her ability to live independently. Furthermore, sarcopenia is an important independent predictor of disability in population-based studies, linked to poor balance, gait speed, falls, and fractures. The recent elucidation of various intracellular signaling pathways and kinases involved in age-related muscle atrophy has brought a tremendously improved understanding of the pathophysiology of sarcopenia, and has heightened expectations for novel interventions. This article will focus on the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for sarcopenia and summarize recent advances in this field. |