Abstract
Skeletal muscle is essential to maintain vital functions such as movement, breathing, and thermogenesis, and it is now recognized as an endocrine organ. Muscles release factors named myokines, which can regulate several physiological processes. Moreover, skeletal muscle is particularly important in maintaining body homeostasis, since it is responsible for more than 75% of all insulin-mediated glucose disposal. Alterations of skeletal muscle differentiation and function, with subsequent dysfunctional expression and secretion of myokines, play a key role in the pathogenesis of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic diseases, finally leading to cardiometabolic complications. Hence, a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating skeletal muscle function related to energy metabolism is critical for novel strategies to treat and prevent insulin resistance and its cardiometabolic complications. This review will be focused on both cellular and animal models currently available for exploring skeletal muscle metabolism and endocrine function.
Highlights
Skeletal muscle is one of the most fascinating mammalian organs
Skeletal muscle has a major contribution to whole-body energy metabolism, since it is a crucial consumer of glucose; its metabolic derangements play a pivotal role in the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D) [5]
This review aims to summarize the most important in vitro and in vivo models developed to investigate the role of skeletal muscle in glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance, focusing on the molecular mechanisms related to muscle differentiation and endocrine function
Summary
Skeletal muscle is one of the most fascinating mammalian organs. Muscles represent about half of total body weight and are essential to maintain vital functions such as movement, postural support, breathing and thermogenesis [1,2]. Myofibers are able to perform adaptive changes in terms of structure and function, thanks to endogenous sensors that act as detection system [3]. Such ability is essential to properly respond to stimuli arising from neural stimulation, energy substrates, and hormonal signals [4]. This review aims to summarize the most important in vitro and in vivo models developed to investigate the role of skeletal muscle in glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance, focusing on the molecular mechanisms related to muscle differentiation and endocrine function
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