[Recovery of the atrophied muscle: from protein degradation to synthesis]

Abstract

The enhancement of atrophied muscle recovery after coming back to normal motor activities (landing of the spacecraft, withdrawal of the cast etc) is very important problem of rehabilitation as well as space medicine. Along with the recovery of the gravity-dependent motor control system the regrowth of the muscle mass seems to be the key event. This regrowth cause recovery of the muscle performance. The present review is dedicated to the structural and functional events, observed during 7 days after exposure of an animal to gravitational unloading (mainly in experiments with the hindlimb suspension model). The state of the main signaling pathways in muscle fibers is also considered. The data presented in the review allow to imagine how the destructive and synthetic events do interact in the initial period of recovery. The work hypotheses on the key triggering signaling mechanisms are also put forward.