The importance of serial sarcomere addition for muscle function and the impact of aging

During natural aging, skeletal muscle experiences impairments in mechanical performance due, in part, to changes in muscle architecture and size, notably with a loss of muscle cross-sectional area (CSA). Another important factor that has received less attention is the shortening of fascicle length (FL), potentially reflective of a decrease in serial sarcomere number (SSN). Interventions that promote the growth of new serial sarcomeres, such as …