Age-related sarcopenia is a syndrome characterized by declines in muscle fiber size, regenerative capacity, neuromuscular junction stability, and metabolic efficiency. This syndrome arises from a multifactorial interplay of biological processes, including reductions in muscle fiber size and number, impaired satellite cell function, neuromuscular junction (NMJ) degeneration, chronic low-grade inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and altered protein turnover. Animal models are invaluable in studying age-related sarcopenia because they allow for controlled experimentation and direct observation of physiological changes over time.
Fig. 1 Summary of genetic manipulations and therapeutic strategies that have been found to alleviate sarcopenia in rodents, Drosophila, and Caenorhabditis elegans. (Christian CJ and Benian GM, 2020)
CD BioSciences provides custom animal models of age-related sarcopenia to support the identification of therapeutic targets, evaluation of anti-aging drug efficacy, and investigation of underlying disease mechanisms.
Custom Animal Models of Age-Related Sarcopenia
Rodent models of age-related sarcopenia
Rodents are commonly used in sarcopenia research due to their genetic similarity to humans and well-characterized aging processes.
- Naturally aging models. CD BioSciences provides aged C57BL/6 mice (18-28 months) and Sprague-Dawley rats (24-30 months), which naturally exhibit muscle atrophy, reduced grip strength, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cytokine imbalances, thereby serving as ideal models for age-related sarcopenia.
- High-fat diet (HFD)-induced aging models. Our experts feed C57BL/6 mice a high-fat diet to induce obesity, insulin resistance, and systemic inflammation, which are associated with sarcopenic phenotypes, including fiber-type switching, oxidative stress, and muscle insulin resistance. These models are particularly valuable for studying the interplay between diet, aging, and sarcopenia.
- Accelerated aging models. Our company provides the senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) and SAMP10, which exhibit early onset of muscle degeneration and functional impairments.
Drosophila models of age-related sarcopenia
Drosophila melanogaster is a valuable model for investigating age-related sarcopenia due to its conserved muscle structure and aging pathways. We use a variety of genetic tools in Drosophila to develop aging-related sarcopenia models targeting Mhc-Gal4 for myofiber regulation, dNrx / NMJ-associated mutants for neuromuscular junction stability, and PINK1/Parkin pathway mutants for mitochondrial dysfunction, to study key mechanisms of muscle degeneration. We also offer climbing behavior assessment, lifespan monitoring, and confocal imaging of myofibril structure to validate model phenotypes and evaluate drug efficacy.
Nematode models of age-related sarcopenia
Caenorhabditis elegans, a free-living nematode, exhibits reduced locomotor activity and muscle integrity with age. We provide genetically engineered C. elegans strains with mutations in daf-2, skn-1, and other sarcopenia-related genes, enabling rapid and cost-effective screening of anti-aging drug candidates.
Zebrafish models of age-related sarcopenia
Adult zebrafish show muscle fiber atrophy, reduced swimming endurance, and mitochondrial dysfunction with aging. Our company offers custom zebrafish strains targeting sarcopenia-related genes and provides automated tracking systems to assess swimming performance and muscle contractility.
Characterization of Age-Related Sarcopenia Models
CD BioSciences provides comprehensive services to support clients in evaluating sarcopenia phenotypes across species.
- Muscle mass measurement. We offer techniques such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to quantify muscle mass.
- Muscle strength assessment. We provide grip strength, gait analysis, and endurance tests to assess muscle function, which is essential for evaluating the impact of potential anti-aging drugs.
- Histological analysis services. We help clients examine muscle tissue through histological staining, which enables the assessment of muscle fiber types, cross-sectional area, and signs of atrophy or degeneration.
CD BioSciences provides comprehensive end-to-end services for modeling age-related sarcopenia, including model customization and experimental execution to support preclinical research and therapeutic evaluation. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us or make an online inquiry.
References
- Christian CJ, Benian GM. Animal models of sarcopenia. Aging Cell, 2020, 19 (10): e13223.
- Xie WQ, et al. Mouse models of sarcopenia: classification and evaluation. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle, 2021, 12 (3): 538-554.
All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.
