Staining of a skeletal muscle cross-section showing different types of muscle fiber in young mice. Credit: Martin Wohlwend
Staining of a skeletal muscle cross-section showing different types of muscle fiber in young mice. Credit: Martin Wohlwend - Scientists have made the first link between muscular dystrophy and a group of bioactive fats, the sphingolipids, which are involved in numerous cell functions and other diseases. In a new study, the group of Johan Auwerx at EPFL's School of Life Sciences has made the first connection between muscular dystrophy and sphingolipids, a group of bioactive lipids. The study is published in Science Advances . Muscular dystrophy Muscular dystrophy is an umbrella term for diseases where gene mutations result in progressive weakness and breakdown of skeletal muscles. About half of all muscular dystrophy cases involve Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). DMD arises from a mutation of the gene that codes for dystrophin, a protein supports muscle structure by anchoring the cytoskeleton of muscle cells with their cytoplasm, the sarcolemma.
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