Why in news
MIT researchers have found that exercise not only benefits physical health but may also stimulate the growth of neurons, which could open new treatment pathways for neurodegenerative diseases and nerve injuries
What is myokines
Myokines are biochemical proteins secreted by muscles, especially during exercise.
They include growth factors and other proteins that can promote neuronal growth and health.
A myokine is one of several hundred cytokines or other small proteins (~5–20 kDa) and proteoglycan peptides that are produced and released by skeletal muscle cells (muscle fibers) in response to muscular contractions
Receptors for myokines are found on muscle, fat, liver, pancreas, bone, heart, immune, and brain cells.
Kilodalton ( kDa ) is a unit of mass used to measure the molecular mass of large molecules like proteins and polysaccharides
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