Physiological activation and targets of calcium signaling in muscle (2015-2018)

The skeletal muscle fibre is a highly specialized cell for the rapid delivery of calcium to elicit contraction, required for posture, movement and thus one's independence. Calcium is also a signal for other purposes, such as triggering other processes within the muscle for its own maintenance. These calcium signals are poorly understood. We will determine when they are turned on during normal muscle activity and what the end result of the signals is for the muscle. The approach will incorporate human muscle from a broad range fitness levels, which will ensure a broad spectrum of fibre types are sampled. Results will be relevant to understanding aging muscle and disease.