title: Pathophysiology of muscle contractures in cerebral palsy.
abstract: Patients with cerebral palsy present with a variety of adaptations to muscle structure and function. These pathophysiologic symptoms include functional deficits such as decreased force production and range of motion, in addition to changes in muscle structure such as decreased muscle belly size, increased sarcomere length, and altered extracellular matrix structure and composition. On a cellular level, patients with cerebral palsy have fewer muscle stem cells, termed satellite cells, and altered gene expression. Understanding the nature of these changes may present opportunities for the development of new muscle treatment therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0412, USA.
authors.forename: Margie A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mathewson
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0863, USA; Department of Veteran's Affairs, 3350 La Jolla Village Dr., San Diego, CA, 92161, USA. Electronic address: rlieber@ric.org.
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Lieber
mesh_terms: D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003286:Contracture / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004548:Elasticity; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal; D013234:Stem Cells
keywords: Cerebral palsy; Extracellular matrix; Fiber; Gene expression; Pathophysiology; Sarcomere; Skeletal muscle