Date of Award

Spring 5-8-2021

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Department/Major

Biology

First Advisor

Bernie Wone

Second Advisor

Beate Wone

Third Advisor

Jose Pietri

Keywords

Manduca sexta, muscle aging, model organism

Subject Categories

Biology | Medicine and Health Sciences

Abstract

Aging has a multisystemic effect on an organism’s functional physiology and quality of life. One such effect is the progressive loss of muscle mass, strength, and function, known as sarcopenia. A thorough investigation to the multiple factors that contribute to sarcopenia is required. Models are used to dissect the mechanistic understanding of the muscle aging process. Manduca sexta is emerging as a novel and complementary muscle aging model because their flight muscles are metabolically and functionally similar to vertebrate skeletal muscle. Manduca sexta is already a prominent invertebrate model organism in neurobiology, immunology, developmental research, and flight mechanics because of its short life span, economic benefits, feasible handling, and extensive molecular toolkit for future research and therapeutics. In this review, I analyze the research showing that Manduca sexta is an emerging and ideal invertebrate muscle aging model that enhances the comparative approach for muscle aging research.

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