Skeletal muscle is often viewed as a complex biomechanical device designed to accomplish the task of generating contraction, force, and movement. Decades of research in skeletal muscle physiology have provided multi-scale insights into its structural and functional complexity.
The “omics” revolution propelled a new era in muscle research, allowing scientists to delve deeper into understanding its complex function at a molecular level.
Drs. Mukund and Subramaniam, from the University of California San Diego focus on providing a holistic picture of the various interacting components within skeletal muscle that are necessary for its health and function.
The authors emphasize the idea of viewing muscle as a biomechanical device requiring co-ordination between several factors or “functional components”, both intrinsic (e.g. genetic) and extrinsic (e.g. environmental stressors, circulatory factors).
Drs. Mukund and Subramaniam say that the goal is to define the muscle in the framework of these (functional) components, and within each component, understand the molecular networks critical for defining muscle health.
