Muscle function decline and mitochondria changes in middle age precede sarcopenia in mice.

Sarcopenia is the degenerative loss of muscle mass and strength with aging. Although a role of mitochondrial metabolism in muscle function and in the development of many diseases has been described, the role of mitochondrial topology and dynamics in the process of muscle aging is not fully understood. This work shows a time line of changes in both mitochondrial distribution and skeletal muscle function during mice lifespan.

ROS Production via P2Y1-PKC-NOX2 Is Triggered by Extracellular ATP after Electrical Stimulation of Skeletal Muscle Cells.

During exercise, skeletal muscle produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) via NADPH oxidase (NOX2) while inducing cellular adaptations associated with contractile activity. The signals involved in this mechanism are still a matter of study. ATP is released from skeletal muscle during electrical stimulation and can autocrinely signal through purinergic receptors; we searched for an influence of this signal in ROS production.