Gene and Cellular Signaling Related to Muscle
A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cell Signaling".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2025 | Viewed by 1512
Special Issue Editor
Interests: skeletal muscle; natural compounds; drug discovery; therapeutics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Skeletal muscle is incredibly adaptable, undergoing significant biochemical and structural changes in response to changes in activity levels, developmental cues, and environmental conditions. These changes are driven by complex alterations in gene expression that regulate muscle growth, differentiation, and function. Recent advances in molecular biology have provided insights into the intricate signaling pathways and regulatory networks that control these processes, offering a new understanding of skeletal muscle physiology and pathology. The molecular mechanisms underlying muscle atrophy and hypertrophy have been the focus of intensive research for several decades. Key signaling pathways, including those mediated by insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), myostatin, and various cytokines, have been identified as critical regulators of muscle mass. The role of transcription factors such as MyoD, myogenin, and FoxO in modulating gene expression during muscle growth and atrophy has also been well established. Despite this progress, our understanding of the full spectrum of molecular events driving muscle adaptation remains incomplete.
Emerging research highlights the significance of additional regulatory elements, including microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and epigenetic modifications, in controlling muscle gene expression. Moreover, the interplay between metabolic status, hormonal signals, and muscle cell signaling pathways underscores the complexity of muscle biology. Understanding these interactions is crucial for developing therapeutic strategies to combat muscle-wasting conditions associated with aging, chronic diseases, and metabolic disorders.
This Special Issue aims to combine original research articles and comprehensive reviews exploring the diverse cellular signaling pathways and genetic programs governing skeletal muscle function in health and disease.
We welcome contributions that address the following:
- Molecular mechanisms of muscle growth, differentiation, and regeneration;
- Pathways involved in muscle atrophy and hypertrophy;
- Role of transcription factors and non-coding RNAs in muscle gene regulation;
- Integration of metabolic signals and muscle cell signaling;
- Muscle–bone interactions and their impact on musculoskeletal health;
- Novel therapeutic targets for muscle-wasting diseases;
- Advances in muscle tissue engineering and regenerative medicine
Dr. Khurshid Ahmad
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- skeletal muscle
- molecular mechanism
- muscle atrophy
- therapeutics
- metabolic signals
- satellite cells
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