Progress in research on the mechanism of denervated skeletal muscle atrophy

Objective To summarize the recent progress in research on the mechanism of denervated skeletal muscle atrophy. Methods The recently-published literatures at home and abroad on denervated skeletal muscle atrophy were reviewed and summarized. Results The mechanism of denervated skeletal muscle atrophy was very complex. At present, the study of the mechanism was based on the changes in histology, cytology and molecules. Fiber thinning and disorderly arrangement of denervated skeletal muscles were observed and apoptotic bodies were detected. Apoptosis-promoting genes expressed upregulatedly and apoptosis-restraining genes expressed down-regulatedly. Muscle satellite cells increased after denervation, but then they decreased and disappeared because they could not differentiate to mature muscle fibers. The structural change of cytomiscrosome and down-regulation of metabolism-related enzymes induced cell metabolism disorder. Conclusion The histological change of skeletal muscle fibers, the change of the number of muscle satellite cells and differentiation, the structural change of cytomiscrosome and the change of apoptosis-related and metabolism-related gene expressions contribute to denervated skeletal muscle atrophy.