Education and Training

Gene Therapy and Neuromuscular Disease

This figure shows the effect of insulin-like growth factor-I (EGF-I) on the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle from a mouse. Recombinant adeno-associated virus was used to introduce EGF-I into mouse muscle to prevent age-related muscle degeneration. This study demonstrates that gene transfer of IGF-I in muscle could form the basis of a human gene therapy for preventing the loss of muscle function associated with aging and may benefit in diseases where the rate of damage to skeletal muscle is accelerated.

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