Skeletal muscle fibers exhibit diversity in metabolic properties, contractile characteristics, and molecular composition, enhancing their adaptability to different physiological demands. Motor neuron innervation, genetic predisposition, and exercise training are key factors influencing the composition and distribution of muscle fibers. These factors play critical roles in shaping the functional properties and overall physiology of skeletal muscles. Comprehending this heterogeneity is crucial in exercise physiology, rehabilitation, and treating neuromuscular disorders, providing avenues for optimizing performance, improving muscle health, and devising targeted therapeutic interventions.
This Collection aims to explore the diverse facets of muscle fiber heterogeneity, including but not limited to:
• Molecular and functional characterization of muscle fiber types and subtypes
• Molecular mechanisms underlying fiber type specification and plasticity
• Influence of exercise training, aging, and disease on muscle fiber composition
• Implications of muscle fiber heterogeneity on performance
• Therapeutic strategies targeting muscle fiber diversity in neuromuscular disorders and rehabilitation
We encourage submissions that employ multidisciplinary approaches, including molecular biology, physiology, biomechanics, and clinical research, to advance our understanding of skeletal muscle fiber heterogeneity.