Sarcolemma

The sarcolemma is the cell membrane of a muscle cell. The membrane is designed to receive and conduct stimuli. Alterations in the sarcolemmal membrane stability and repair system can lead to muscular dystrophy. The mechanism of muscular dystrophy is lack of functional dystrophin. This means that the sarcolemma is not attached to the cytoskeleton. Therefore during muscle contraction, the sarcolemma is not synchronized with the interior of the cell. The looseness of the sarcolemma permits membrane calcium channels to open. The rise in internal calcium ions causes activation of the proteolytic enzyme calpain, which digests proteins including contractile proteins, rendering the muscle much weaker.The sarcolemma invaginates into the cytoplasm of the muscle cell, forming membranous tubules called transverse tubules . Sarcoplasmic reticulum is the enlargement of smooth endoplasmic reticulum found in muscle cells on either side of the transverse tubules. The triad of transverse tubules surrounded by two smooth ER cisternae transmit altered membrane permeability down the tubules. The nuclei lie just adjacent to the sarcolemma, at the periphery of the fiber.This membrane is extensible and encloses the contractile substance of a muscle fiber. (From the Wikpedia article Sarcolemma.)

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Recent Publications on Sarcolemma:
Morphological characteristics of cardiac calcium release units in animals with metabolic and circulatory disorders. Metabolic and circulatory disorders such as diabetes and hypertension are...	20th November, 2009	Department of Physiological Sciences, National Institute of Fitness and	J Muscle Res Cell Motil. 2009 Nov 19. DOI Direct Link
Phospholipase A(2)-derived lysophosphatidylcholine triggers Ca(2+) entry in dystrophic skeletal muscle fibers. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is an inherited disease caused by the absence...	17th November, 2009	Department of Zoology and Animal Biology, Laboratory of Vascular Cell	Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2009 Nov 12. DOI Direct Link
Adenosine triphosphoric acid as a factor of nervous regulation of Na+/K+/2Cl- cotransport in rat skeletal muscle fibers. Exogenous adenosine triphosphoric acid produces a biphasic effect on the...	13th November, 2009	Kazan State Medical	Bull Exp Biol Med. 2009 May;147(5):583-6.
Dystrophin restoration in skeletal, heart and skin arrector pili smooth muscle of mdx mice by ZM2 NP-AON complexes. Potentially viable therapeutic approaches for Duchenne muscular dystrophy...	13th November, 2009	Department of Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, Section of Medical	Gene Ther. 2009 Nov 12. DOI Direct Link
The Roles of the Dystrophin-Associated Glycoprotein Complex at the Synapse. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene...	10th November, 2009	Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Molecular and Cell	Mol Neurobiol. 2009 Nov 9. DOI Direct Link
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BioNews Results for Sarcolemma:
Myocardial insulin resistance causes differ in diabetes and LVD	MedWire News:  Oct 12 2009 8:04PM Matching: sarcolemma

Sarcolemma Patents:
US Patent No.	Title
7166469	Detection and determination of the stages of coronary artery disease
7250496	Bioinformatically detectable group of novel regulatory genes and uses thereof
7252989	Adenovirus supervector system
7265091	Methods and compositions for treating male erectile dysfunction
7271254	Promoting cardiac cell differentiation
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