Aging Effects of Ryanodine Receptor Variants Corresponding to Human Myopathic Mutations.

Delaying the decline in skeletal muscle function will be critical to better maintenance of an active lifestyle in old age. The skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor, the major intracellular membrane channel through which calcium ions pass to elicit muscle contraction, is central to calcium ion balance and is hypothesized to be a significant factor for age-related decline in muscle function. The nematode is a key model system for the study of human aging, and strains were generated with modified ryanodine receptors corresponding to human myopathic variants linked with malignant hyperthermia and related conditions.