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Molecular and Cellular Insights into the Musculoskeletal System, Joints and Spine

A special issue of Current Issues in Molecular Biology (ISSN 1467-3045). This special issue belongs to the section "Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 769

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Seon-Jin Yoon

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul Bumin Hospital, Gangseo-gu, Seoul 07565, Republic of Korea
2. Yong Jung Jay Kim Spine Deformity Center, Seoul Bumin Hospital, Gangseo-gu, Seoul 07565, Republic of Korea
Interests: cell biology; DNA mutation; RNA sequencing; single cell sequencing; orthopedic surgery; spine surgery; neurosurgery; spinal deformity; joint diseases; muscular dystrophy; connective tissue disease
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to bridge basic science and clinical medicine by exploring how molecules and cells keep the musculoskeletal system, joints, and spine healthy—or drive disease when they go wrong. We welcome studies that provide new insight into disorders of the spine or peripheral joints, including degenerative, inflammatory, traumatic, congenital, or tumor-related conditions.

We are interested in original research and reviews that examine signaling pathways, genetics and epigenetics, mechanobiology, tissue regeneration, pain mechanisms, and interactions between bone, cartilage, muscle, tendon, disk, and nerve. Work using cell and animal models, human tissues, imaging, or multi-omics approaches is all within scope, as long as it helps explain disease mechanisms or suggests new diagnostic or treatment strategies. Our goal is to create a practical collection that connects molecular and cellular findings with real musculoskeletal, joint, and spine problems in daily clinical practice, helping readers see how basic discoveries may improve future patient care.

Prof. Dr. Seon-Jin Yoon
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Current Issues in Molecular Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 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

  • musculoskeletal system
  • joints
  • spine
  • pain-related nerve system
  • genetics
  • sequencing
  • human
  • animal
  • cell

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 20796 KB  
Article
Characterization of Genes Related to Intramuscular Fat Deposition in Muscles of Piglets Under Cold Exposure by Whole Transcriptome Sequencing
by Fang Wang, Liang Wang, Zhenhua Guo, Hong Ma, Bo Fu, Dongjie Zhang and Di Liu
Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2026, 48(5), 463; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb48050463 - 29 Apr 2026
Viewed by 128
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Understanding the regulatory mechanisms of intramuscular fat accumulation is crucial for maintaining skeletal muscle function and treating muscle-related diseases. It is known that cold exposure can lead to fat deposition in the muscles of mice and pigs. However, so far, there is [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Understanding the regulatory mechanisms of intramuscular fat accumulation is crucial for maintaining skeletal muscle function and treating muscle-related diseases. It is known that cold exposure can lead to fat deposition in the muscles of mice and pigs. However, so far, there is very limited knowledge about the factors influencing its formation under cold exposure conditions. This study used piglets as an animal model to investigate intramuscular fat accumulation under cold exposure. Methods: Six piglets were exposed to 10 °C, and six piglets were exposed to 25 °C. A whole transcriptome joint analysis was performed on the longissimus dorsi muscle of three piglets randomly selected from each group. Results: No fever or cough symptoms were observed in all experimental groups, and the cold exposure vs. control groups’ RNA data were compared. The study identified 705 differentially expressed messenger RNAs, 87 long non-coding RNAs, 57 microRNAs, and 236 circular RNAs. CD36 Molecule (CD36 Blood Group) (CD36) was upregulated, while adiponectin (ADIPOQ) was downregulated. Conclusion: We established a competing endogenous RNA network centered around CD36, Protein Phosphatase 1 Regulatory Subunit 3G (PPP1R3G) and ADIPOQ for intramuscular fat accumulation by using a pig model exposed to a cold temperature. This study provides important references for further understanding the regulatory mechanism of intramuscular fat. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular and Cellular Insights into the Musculoskeletal System, Joints and Spine)
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16 pages, 3953 KB  
Article
PDGFD: A Dual-Function Regulator That Maintains Myoblast Pool and Fuels Myogenic Differentiation
by Hongzhen Cao, Jing Wang, Yunzhou Wang, Jingsen Huang, Wei Chen, Hui Tang, Junfeng Chen, Baosong Xing and Yongqing Zeng
Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2026, 48(3), 322; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb48030322 - 18 Mar 2026
Viewed by 411
Abstract
The role of platelet-derived growth factor D (PDGFD) in mesenchymal cells is well-established, but its specific function in skeletal muscle generation remains unknown. This study reveals for the first time PDGFD’s dual regulatory role in myogenesis: it acts both as a [...] Read more.
The role of platelet-derived growth factor D (PDGFD) in mesenchymal cells is well-established, but its specific function in skeletal muscle generation remains unknown. This study reveals for the first time PDGFD’s dual regulatory role in myogenesis: it acts both as a “guardian” maintaining the myoblast pool and as an “initiator” driving myogenic differentiation. Through single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of skeletal muscle from Jiangquan Black pigs, we identified PDGFD as a common candidate gene for both muscle and fat development. In the C2C12 cell model, PDGFD knockdown significantly inhibited cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis, while overexpression enhanced viability and inhibited apoptosis, indicating its critical role in maintaining myoprogenic precursor cell homeostasis. Further studies revealed that PDGFD interference downregulated key myogenic differentiation markers MyoD and MyoG, inhibiting differentiation. Its expression peaked during mid-differentiation (D5), suggesting temporal regulation of differentiation. Interestingly, although PDGFD primarily acts through the PI3K/Akt pathway downstream of PDGFR-β, PDGFD knockdown did not show significant synergistic effects with PI3K/Akt pathway activation in inhibiting differentiation. This suggests PDGFD may specifically regulate myogenic differentiation via an independent or parallel signaling axis. This study not only expands the known functions of PDGFD in muscle biology but also provides new insights into the mechanisms by which growth factors coordinate cell fate decisions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular and Cellular Insights into the Musculoskeletal System, Joints and Spine)
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