Skeletal muscle is a tissue with a low mitochondrial content under basal conditions, but it is responsive to acute increases in contractile activity patterns (i.e. exercise) which initiate the signalling of a compensatory response, leading to the biogenesis of mitochondria and improved organelle function. Exercise also promotes the degradation of poorly functioning mitochondria (i.e. mitophagy), thereby accelerating mitochondrial turnover, and preserving a pool of healthy organelles. In contrast, muscle disuse, as well as the aging process, are associated with reduced mitochondrial quality and quantity in muscle. This has strong negative implications for whole-body metabolic health and the preservation of muscle mass. A number of traditional, as well as novel regulatory pathways exist in muscle that control both biogenesis and mitophagy. Interestingly, although the ablation of single regulatory transcription factors within these pathways often leads to a reduction in the basal mitochondrial content of muscle, this can invariably be overcome with exercise, signifying that exercise activates a multitude of pathways which can respond to restore mitochondrial health. This knowledge, along with growing realization that pharmacological agents can also promote mitochondrial health independently of exercise, leads to an optimistic outlook in which the maintenance of mitochondrial and whole-body metabolic health can be achieved by taking advantage of the broad benefits of exercise, along with the potential specificity of drug action.
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August 2016
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A schematic representation for the process of mitophagy in skeletal muscle. For a detailed coverage of the regulation of mitochondrial function in muscle, see the review by Hood et al. (Volume 473, Issue 15, pages 2295–2314). - PDF Icon PDF LinkFront Matter
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Review Article|
July 28 2016
Unravelling the mechanisms regulating muscle mitochondrial biogenesis
David A. Hood;
David A. Hood
1
*Muscle Health Research Centre, School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email dhood@yorku.ca).
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Liam D. Tryon;
Liam D. Tryon
*Muscle Health Research Centre, School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3
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Heather N. Carter;
Heather N. Carter
*Muscle Health Research Centre, School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3
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Yuho Kim;
Yuho Kim
*Muscle Health Research Centre, School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3
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Chris C.W. Chen
Chris C.W. Chen
*Muscle Health Research Centre, School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
January 22 2016
Revision Received:
April 14 2016
Accepted:
April 18 2016
Online ISSN: 1470-8728
Print ISSN: 0264-6021
© 2016 The Author(s). published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society
2016
Biochem J (2016) 473 (15): 2295–2314.
Article history
Received:
January 22 2016
Revision Received:
April 14 2016
Accepted:
April 18 2016
Citation
David A. Hood, Liam D. Tryon, Heather N. Carter, Yuho Kim, Chris C.W. Chen; Unravelling the mechanisms regulating muscle mitochondrial biogenesis. Biochem J 1 August 2016; 473 (15): 2295–2314. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BCJ20160009
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