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Aerobic exercise can reverse effect of ageing on muscle stem cells

Evident in old mice, this exercise can also accelerate muscle tissue repair

13-Apr-2020

Key points from article :

Aerobic activities can help elderly recover as quickly, efficiently as younger selves.

Scientists rounded up young and old mice, gave access to running wheel for 3 weeks.

They analyzed how the mice muscle stem cells (MuSCs) and muscle tissue responded.

After 3 weeks, they injured certain muscles, analyzed how they rebuild tissues.

MuSCs were transplanted from old mice into other injured mice.

Old donor MuSCs formed smaller and fewer fibers in the injured mice.

Old MuSCs from exercising mice performed like young muscle stem cells.

Exercise had a “rejuvenating” effect on old cells, instead of producing more MuSCs.

Exercise’s effects on MSC, tissue repair come down to a tiny protein called cyclin D1.

Cyclin D1, may be key to therapeutics and anti-ageing drugs.

Human equivalent of mice running wheel regime would likely be regular, aerobic exercise.

Research from Stanford University. Published in Nature Metabolism.

Mentioned in this article:

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Nature Metabolism

Online journal Nature Metabolism is an online journal of Nature Research

Stanford University

Private research university, one of the world's leading research and teaching institutions

Thomas A. Rando

Professor of Neurology at Stanford University

Topics mentioned on this page:
Stem Cells, Exercise