MAPK Pathway in Skeletal Muscle Diseases

Abstract

Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathway is a signal transduction pathway that functions in a wide range of physiological and pathophysiological cellular events including cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, migration, inflammation, metabolic disorders and diseases. In skeletal muscle, it plays an essential role in muscle fiber specialization, muscle mass maintenance, damage induced muscle regeneration and muscle diseases. This review provides an overview of MAPK pathway and its pathophysiological role in skeletal muscle diseases with a primary focus on muscular dystrophy and atrophy.