A single fibre study of the relationship between glucose transport and skeletal muscle contractility

2型糖尿病（一种通常伴有肥胖的进行性疾病）被认为是世界上最常见的代谢疾病，预计到2010年将影响115万澳大利亚人。肌肉收缩（以体育锻炼或运动训练的形式）现在是管理2型糖尿病和/或肥胖的重要组成部分。该项目从肌肉细胞收缩性领域的理论和实验专业知识结合的角度进行规划，并对骨骼肌在葡萄糖稳态中的作用有浓厚的兴趣。在本项目范围内开展的工作将为2型糖尿病-肥胖的发病机制提供新的见解，并为骨骼肌参与收缩刺激葡萄糖运输的细胞机制提供新的信息。作为该项目的一部分，我们将开发单个肌肉细胞纤维制剂和适当的方案，以监测骨骼肌中葡萄糖运输的细胞方面。这些制备方案将有潜力用于测试针对细胞内靶点的抗糖尿病药物。从教育效益的角度来看，该项目将为4-6名荣誉和2-3名博士生创造机会，在研究医学问题的同时，获得肌肉细胞生物化学和生理学方面罕见而有用的技能和专业知识。

Type 2 diabetes (a progressive disorder often accompanied by obesity) is claimed to be the most common metabolic disease in the world and is predicted to affect 1.15 million Australians by the year 2010. Muscle contraction (in the form of physical exercise or exercise training) is now an essential component in the management of type 2 diabetes and-or obesity.This project has been planned from a perspective that combines theoretical and experimental expertise in the field of muscle cell contractility with a keen interest in the role of skeletal muscle in glucose homeostasis. Work carried out within the scope of this project will contribute new insights into the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes-obesity and new information on the cellular mechanisms involved in contraction-stimulated glucose transport by skeletal muscle. As part of this project we will develop single muscle cell-fibre preparations and appropriate protocols for monitoring cellular aspects of glucose transport in skeletal muscle. These preparations-protocols will have the potential to be used for testing anti-diabetic drugs directed towards intracellular targets. From an educational benefit point of view, the project will create the opportunity for 4-6 honours and 2-3 PhD students to acquire a rare and useful combination of skills and expertise in muscle cell biochemistry and physiology, while working on an issue of medical concern.