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[Relationship between simulated weightlessness-induced muscle spindle change and muscle atrophy.] [Article in Chinese]

ZHAO Xue-Hong, FAN Xiao-Li

Medical function Department, Medical College of Hubei University of Arts and Science. Xiangyang 441053, China； Department of Physiology, Medical College of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China

Abstract

One of the most important and urgent issues in the field of space medicine is to reveal the potential mechanism underlying the disused muscle atrophy during the weightlessness or microgravity environment. It will conduce to find out effective methods for the prevention and treatment of muscle atrophy during a long-term space flight. Increasing data show that muscle spindle discharges are significantly altered following the hindlimb unloading, suggesting a vital role in the progress of muscle atrophy. In the last decades, we have made a series of studies on changes in the morphological structure and function of muscle spindle following simulated weightlessness. This review will discuss our main results and related researches for understanding of muscle spindle activities during microgravity environment, which may provide a theoretic basis for effective prevention and treatment of muscle atrophy induced by weightlessness.

Key words: muscle spindle; muscle atrophy; simulated weightlessness

Received: 2012-05-22　　Accepted: 2012-09-28

Corresponding author: 樊小力　　E-mail: fanxl@mail.xjtu.edu.cn

Citing This Article：

ZHAO Xue-Hong, FAN Xiao-Li. [Relationship between simulated weightlessness-induced muscle spindle change and muscle atrophy.] [Article in Chinese]. Acta Physiol Sin 2013; 65 (1): 96-100 (in Chinese with English abstract).