AUTHOR=Pang XiangSheng , Zhang Peng , Chen XiaoPing , Liu WenMing TITLE=Ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in skeletal muscle atrophy JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2023 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2023.1289537 DOI=10.3389/fphys.2023.1289537 ISSN=1664-042X ABSTRACT=Skeletal muscles underpin myriad human activities, maintaining an intricate balance between protein synthesis and degradation crucial to muscle mass preservation. Historically, disruptions in this balance-where degradation overshadows synthesis-have marked the onset of muscle atrophy, a condition diminishing life quality and, in grave instances, imperiling life itself. While multiple protein degradation pathways exist-including the autophagy-lysosome, calcium-dependent calpain, and cysteine aspartate protease systems-the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway emerges as an especially cardinal avenue for intracellular protein degradation, wielding pronounced influence over the muscle atrophy trajectory. This paper ventures a panoramic view of predominant muscle atrophy types, accentuating the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway's role therein. Furthermore, by drawing from recent scholarly advancements, we draw associations between the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway and specific pathological conditions linked to muscle atrophy. Our exploration seeks to shed light on the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway's significance in skeletal muscle dynamics, aiming to pave the way for innovative therapeutic strategies against muscle atrophy and affiliated muscle disorders.