Growth and Wasting in Heart and Skeletal Muscle (A8)

Maintenance of cardiac and skeletal muscle mass and function is central to well-being in aging and illness. Striated muscles, including cardiac and skeletal muscles, increase in size and mass in response to exercise, nutritional status, pregnancy and other concomitant energy demand states. The mass of cardiac and skeletal muscle declines in response to sepsis, cancer, aging and immobility. A confluence of metabolic and genetic factors regulates muscle mass, and both cardiac and skeletal muscle each have significant paracrine actions for growth beyond heart and muscle. This unique meeting highlights mechanisms and targets for both cardiac and skeletal muscle growth, emphasizing novel pathways and new applications.