Our main objective is to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying adult muscle regeneration and growth. Muscle fiber degeneration and loss of muscle mass occurs in multiple settings, including cancer, cachexia, neuromuscular disorders (Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy -DMD-) and during aging, remaining a key factor contributing to morbidity. Understanding the molecular pathways that regulate muscle repair and gain/loss of muscle mass is therefore crucial for treating muscle wasting-associated disorders. Yet, the key molecular mediators of such processes are poorly understood. Thus, we have developed distinct experimental approaches to address our objective.
We work with mouse muscle stem cells (satellite cells) and isolated cultured myofibers with associated satellite cells, as the best physiological muscle models ex vivo. We use in vivo models for skeletal muscle regeneration and atrophy/hypertrophy in genetically modified mice (Cre-LoxP system) and models of human muscle diseases (DMD), and electroporation techniques to modulating gene expression in mouse muscle at wish. Importantly, we have access to patient-derived muscle biopsies of several diseases from which we obtain and characterize primary myoblasts. Finally, we use molecular biology techniques to elucidate gene transcription/signal transduction pathways controlling muscle cell function.