muscular | Common News Update

A nest of muscle-bound mice, a sensitive robot and 120,000 "beneficial" roundworms have arrived at the International Space Station.The assortment was delivered to station commander Luca Parmitano on Sunday as part of a three-tonne SpaceX shipment of "science, supplies and hardware", including Christmas treats for its six crew members. Forty mice - all adolescent females with black fur - will be used for a muscle and bone experiment in space, NASA said - with eight of these deemed "mighty mice", genetically engineered to have twice the normal muscle mass. The Rodent Research-19 project will examine muscle and bone loss in space - a serious health issue for astronauts - and look at aiding recovery following return to Earth.It could also support the development of therapies "for a wide rang...

Scientists have for the first time used gene-editing to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy in a large mammal, a significant step towards effective treatment for people with the disorder.The condition, which has no cure, leads to loss of muscle function and strength and ultimately an early death.But in a study on dogs, scientists were able to partially restore the key protein people with DMD cannot make.They hope in the future to test the technique in people. Green light for muscular dystrophy drug First gene-editing in human body attempt Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common fatal genetic disease in children and almost entirely affects boys and young men - about 2,500 of them in the UK have the condition. Children born with the degenerative ...

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Muscular ‘mighty mice’ and sensitive robot sent to space station

Gene-editing hope for muscular dystrophy