Sun June 22, 2008 UMKC Researchers Make Discovery in Muscle
Aging By Elana Gordon Kansas City, MO – Scientists have known
for some time that as people age, their skeletal muscles become
smaller and weaker. But a group of researchers at UMKC say that
calcium absorption may be a key part of what causes that muscle
deterioration. Their recent findings are being published in the
Journal, Aging Cell. Lead researcher, Dr. Marco Brotto, says
calcium is needed in order for muscles to contract properly. But
he says the group's research on mice shows that even when
there's plenty of calcium available, aged muscle cells may not
be able to absorb it. Brotto: It's like, in the muscle cells we
have these gates. And they have to open or to close to allow
calcium to go inside. So we still have enough calcium outside
the cell, but the gate now is closed. Dr. Brotto says he's now
collaborating with researchers from the Mid America Heart
Institute to further examine that absorption process in humans.
The recent study received f