Chapter 7

Apoptosis As Cause Of Sarcopenia: Hormonal Regulation

Andrea Vasconsuelo

Abstract

The muscle mass declines with age, affecting the independence in the elderly. This process known as sarcopenia and the acceleration of myocytes loss through apoptosis might signify the main causative. Skeletal muscle tissue increases its size and shows a notable capacity to adapt to injury, due the existence of an undifferentiated group of myogenic-specific precursor cells, called satellite cells. The knowledge of mechanism that driven the apoptosis in satellite cells represents an important base to understand the etiology of sarcopenia. This chapter centers on the potential impact that the estrogen- and testosteroneregulation of satellite cell function has in elderly skeletal muscle, highlighting in the role that both steroids have on apoptotic signaling in myoblasts.

Total Pages: 127-143 (17)

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