Cells are subjected to endogenous [eg, reactive oxygen species (ROS), replication stress]
and exogenous insults (eg, UV light, ionizing radiation, and certain chemicals), which can …

The immune response to acute muscle damage is important for normal repair. However, in
chronic diseases such as many muscular dystrophies, the immune response can amplify …

The basement membrane (BM) is a thin specialized extracellular matrix that functions as a
cellular anchorage site, a physical barrier and a signaling hub. While the literature on the …

A number of recent studies have highlighted the importance of autophagy and the ubiquitin-
proteasome in the pathogenesis of muscle wasting in different types of inherited muscle …

The myotendinous junction (MTJ) is a complex specialized region located at the muscle-
tendon interface that represents the primary site of force transmission. Despite their different …

A chain is no stronger than its weakest link is an old idiom that holds true for muscle biology.
As the name implies, skeletal muscle's main function is to move the bones. However, for a …

Laminin, an extracellular matrix protein, is widely expressed in the central nervous system
(CNS). By interacting with integrin and non‐integrin receptors, laminin exerts a large variety …

Muscular dystrophies (MDs) comprise a diverse group of inherited disorders characterized
by progressive muscle loss and weakness. Given the genetic etiology underlying MDs …

Congenital muscular dystrophy caused by laminin α2 chain deficiency (also known as
MDC1A) is a severe and incapacitating disease, characterized by massive muscle wasting …

L AMA2-related muscular dystrophy (LAMA2 MD or MDC1A) is the most frequent form of
early-onset, fatal congenital muscular dystrophies. It is caused by mutations in LAMA2, the …