Investigators from Duke University Report New Data on Tissue Engineering (Bioengineered Model of Human Lgmd2b Skeletal Muscle Reveals Roles of Intracellular Calcium Overload In Contractile and Metabolic Dysfunction In Dysferlinopathy).

Researchers from Duke University have developed a 3D tissue-engineered model of skeletal muscle to study a rare muscle disease called dysferlinopathy. Dysferlin is a protein that plays a role in muscle membrane repair, calcium regulation, and lipid metabolism. The model, created using human induced pluripotent stem cells, exhibited compromised contractile function, calcium-handling, and membrane repair, as well as impaired oxidative metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction. The study suggests that intramyocellular calcium leak is a critical factor in dysferlinopathy and validates the use of this model for future research and drug development. [Extracted from the article]