Skeletal muscle fiber membrane and extracellular matrix

The skeletal muscle fiber membrane (sarcolemma) and the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) form a complex tissue architecture vital for muscle structure, function, and regeneration. The sarcolemma serves as the outer boundary of muscle fibers, enabled to transmit contractile forces with the help of its interface with ECM. The ECM provides mechanical stability, accommodates blood vessels and nerves, and creates a regulatory microenvironment for muscle stem cells (satellite cells). Key ECM constituents include various collagens, laminins, fibronectin, proteoglycans, and glycoproteins, which interact with cell-surface receptors such as integrins and syndecans, guiding cell fate, growth, and tissue repair. In pathology and aging, dysregulation of ECM composition and structure can lead to defective muscle regeneration, fibrosis, and force transmission deficits. While some therapies use biomaterials derived from ECM for regenerative purposes, “host skeletal myofiber membranes and extracellular matrix” itself is not a druggable, well-defined molecular therapeutic target, but rather an essential framework for muscle health and disease.

Other names

Skeletal muscle sarcolemma and ECMMuscle fiber membrane and ECMMuscle basal lamina and interstitial ECMHost muscle myofiber surface and ECM

Modulation of ECM remodeling to promote regeneration or prevent fibrosis; Regulation of stem cell niche signals for improved healing; Enhancement of cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation through ECM scaffolds and biomaterials