The many roles of PGC-1α in muscle - recent developments

Skeletal muscle is the largest organ in the body and contributes to innumerable aspects of organismal biology. Muscle dysfunction engenders numerous diseases, including diabetes, cachexia, and sarcopenia. At the same time, skeletal muscle is also the main engine of exercise, one of the most efficacious interventions for prevention and treatment of a wide variety of diseases. The transcriptional coactivator PGC-1 alpha has emerged as a key driver of metabolic programming in skeletal muscle, both in health and in disease. We review here the many aspects of PGC-1 alpha function in skeletal muscle, with a focus on recent developments. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.