Reported by ScienceDaily
Muscles can begin losing their strength and ability to recover surprisingly early in the aging process. Over time, muscle tissue may develop scar tissue, accumulate fat, and lose some of the specialized fibers responsible for rapid, powerful movements. These changes can make everyday activities more difficult and gradually reduce mobility and physical independence.
Now, scientists in Japan have identified a promising molecule that could help protect the body's natural muscle repair system and potentially make it more effective. In laboratory experiments, the compound strengthened an important biological signal involved in muscle regeneration, increasing its ability to connect with a key cellular receptor by more than twofold.
The discovery comes from a team led by Professor Ryuichi Tatsumi at Kyushu University's Faculty of Agriculture. Their findings, published in Scientific Reports , suggest a possible new approach to addressing the cellular changes that make aging muscles increasingly difficult to repair.
More from the original report
Skeletal muscles are the muscles attached to bones that allow us to walk, lift objects, maintain posture, and perform other voluntary movements. Although these muscles experience wear and tear throughout life, they also have a remarkable ability to repair themselves.
Much of that repair depends on specialized stem cells known as satellite cells. These cells normally remain inactive, positioned alongside muscle fibers until they receive a signal that repair or regeneration is needed. Once activated, they can multiply and develop into muscle cells that help restore damaged tissue.
An essential part of this process involves a protein called hepatocyte growth factor, or HGF. Despite its name, HGF plays important roles beyond the liver, including helping activate the stem cells responsible for muscle regeneration.
Under normal conditions, HGF is stored within the supportive material surrounding muscle fibers. When muscles experience an injury or mechanical stimulation, such as physical movement or stretching, the protein can be released.
HGF then attaches to a receptor called c-met on the surface of satellite cells. Receptors are specialized proteins that receive molecular signals and trigger responses inside cells. In this case, the interaction helps awaken dormant satellite cells, allowing them to multiply, mature, and participate in repairing muscle…