Muscle Atrophy: Present and Future

Muscle atrophy is the loss of muscle mass and strength, and it occurs in many diseases, such as cancer, AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), congestive heart failure, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), renal failure, and severe burns. Muscle atrophy accompanied by cachexia worsens patient’s life quality and increases morbidity and mortality. To date there is no effective treatment on that. Here we summarize the diagnosis methods and cellular mechanisms of muscle atrophy. We also discuss the current strategies in muscle atrophy treatment and highlight the potential treatment strategies to resist muscle atrophy.