Presenter(s): Jeanette Helgerson—Human Physiology
Faculty Mentor(s): Hans Dreyer, Doug Foote
Session 3: The Substance of Us
Human muscle cell growth is regulated through the protein complex mTOR, the mammalian target of rapamycin, which is activated by nutrients such as amino acids and growth factors such as insulin . We wanted to know if there were differences in how old and young patient derived muscle cells responded to amino acids, particularly how the mTOR cascade was affected . The mTOR response to amino acids has been studied in many types of cells, but this study’s approach using patient derived human skeletal muscle cells to analyze mTOR response has yet to be explored . Using purified samples of these patient derived cells, a mixture of amino acids (LRK) that are known to activate mTOR were given, and the cellular signaling of certain proteins were quantified to measure mTOR activation . Both young and old patient derived cells were given these conditions and the averages of the groups were compared . This research is currently ongoing, so not all of the data is available yet . Knowing the differences in how young and old patient derived cells respond to amino acids is important because it could help alleviate muscle loss . Muscle loss shortens lifespans and diminishes the quality of life for many people, so understanding the underlying mechanisms of how to gain muscle back after the aging process, injury, or surgery, is imperative .