Researchers Find Connection Between Ageing Muscles And Mutation In Stem Cells
Who does want to grow old? None indeed! However, aging is a
destiny and a part of life, which revolves around a certain course. We can see
its arrival much earlier due to various ailments forcing us to bow down to its adamancy
and dominance.
With aging the strength of our muscles plummets, which causes
impairment in muscular tissues, reducing our ability to perform. Why does this
happen to us? If aging is inherent, why does it interfere with our ability to
exert physical strength to perform some work then?
Blame it all on your muscle stem cells. However, scientists at Karolinska Institute in Sweden
discovered a new theory or parameter, which is supposed to cause muscular
degeneration when we grow older. The whopping numbers of mutations in muscle
stem cells are at the root of muscle weakness and impairment as they create
hurdles in the process of muscle cell regeneration. We can rely upon this
discovery as it can open up an opportunity for the development of new
medications that would intensify muscles no matter how older we become.
Why Muscles Weaken?
We have already known that muscles lose its ability to
function to the fullest due to the natural aging process. And with this, the
rate of activities or performances also gets reduced as stem cells of muscles
decline their flexibility and elasticity with age.
Muscle stem cells are referred to as satellite cells seem to
have hibernation in muscle tissues. But, they begin to proliferate, self-renew
and replace damaged tissues or cells once exposed to injury or exercise. This
is a natural restorative function of any of muscle cells. But with time, muscle
cells cannot provide any assistance to restore muscle wear and tear, losing its
muscle renewal capacity and as a result, we tend to have weak muscles.
Why Do Not Weak Muscles Perform Any Work?
The mutations in muscle cells cause muscles to become old
with age. So, there is a well-balanced relationship between mutations and
aging. Simultaneously, the higher the number of mutation genes, the older a
person becomes. We can see how the number of mutations is as high as 1000 in a
healthy older individual, more than any younger counterpart. Whatever it is,
the mutations cannot rein in every cell, and some of the cells are protected
too. These protected cells provide a source for functions and survival. However,
the capacity of protected cells also declines due to the natural cell division,
resulting in reduction of the cell capacity and hence no further DNA repair
takes place as we get older.
This insight into how muscle stem cells are influenced by
mutations could aid scientists discover new pathways to impact aging cells and
restore their performance with new drugs or therapies.
Approach to Making New Drugs
The connection between aging cells and mutations in stem
cells has a clear understanding, but it is time to find the way which could aid
in the development of ways to stop aging muscle cells’ agility and flexibility.
Three parameters were noted by the researchers to establish
an understanding involving mutation functions. They are as follows as below:
i.
The accumulation of mutations in cells has an
influence from the physical exercise
ii.
Physical exercise facilitates reduction of mutations
in young individuals and
iii.
Physical exercise increases a higher number of
mutations in muscle stem cells
The research led by Maria Eriksson are planning to influence
the mutation burden so as to develop a new workout plant crucial for aging
people based on those parameters.
Scientists collected single stem cells to compare the
presence of mutations in muscle stem cells of younger individuals and older
populations based on DNA genome sequencing technology. It established that
older populations have a higher burden of mutation genes in muscle stem cells,
while young ones do not show this mutation behavior, confirming they are more
protected than old people.
So, we are looking forward to the discovery of such drugs and
treatment plan which could one day restrict mutations’ influence to the aging
muscle cells and intensify performance capabilities of aging muscles.
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