Molecular Insights into Muscular Dystrophy

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue has been created with the aim of improving the knowledge regarding less-described mechanisms involved both in the pathogenesis of different types of muscular dystrophy and in the mitochondrial metabolism. Previous studies with in vitro and in vivo models of muscular dystrophy showed that mitochondria play a major role in muscle repair during contraction. Conversely, mitochondrial dysfunction due to calcium dysregulation and oxidative stress plays a major role in muscle fiber death during disease pathogenesis. Moreover, dissecting the mechanisms that underlie the pathogenesis of muscular dystrophy and clarifying the role of mitochondrial metabolism could increase the possibility of developing new therapies for this group of disorders. Zebrafish are an important tool in the study of muscular dystrophy due to their highly evolutionarily conserved genes and mechanisms involved in both muscle differentiation and muscle contraction. Their mitochondrial metabolism and physiology is also highly conserved. This Special Issue aims to develop the study of muscular dystrophy and mitochondrial metabolism using zebrafish as an animal model. We also welcome studies developing new methods and tools to (i) generate new zebrafish models of muscular dystrophy, (ii) investigate these models and (iii) perform new high-throughput drug screening that will open up new avenues for the development of therapeutics.

Dr. Marco G. Schiavone
Guest Editor

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