Abigail Mackey
Associate Professor
Exercise Laboratories
Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400 København NV
Center for Healthy Ageing
Blegdamsvej 3
2200 København N.
Current research
Skeletal muscle produces the forces required for movement of the human body. To perform this function, each muscle fibre is dependent on neural input to inititate contraction, and a strong attachment to the skeleton for force transmission. The overall aim of our group is to understand how these two components of physical function are affected during the ageing process, and how physical activity can help to slow some of the decline.
Muscle fiber denervation
Muscle fibres depend on neural input from a motoneurone, not only for contraction but also for survival. A loss of neural input therefore leads to a loss of muscle fibres and is a major contributor to functional decline with ageing. We study the muscle-nerve communication and how exercise maintains this to preserve physical function in old age.
Funded by Lundbeck Foundation Ascending Investigator grant, "Mechanisms behind the benefits of physical exercise on motoneuron survival with ageing in humans"
Repair of injured human skeletal muscle
The point of attachment of the muscle fibre to the skeleton is the myotendinous junction. Despite a specialised morphology and molecular composition, the MTJ is also a frequent site of strain injury. We study the human MTJ in the intact and injured states to understand its molecular makeup compared to neighbouring muscle and tendon.
Funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, "Rebuilding the human myotendinous junction piece by piece: understanding how muscle injuries are repaired"
Selected publications
- Published
Preserved stem cell content and innervation profile of elderly human skeletal muscle with lifelong recreational exercise
Soendenbroe, C., Dahl, C. L., Meulengracht, C., Tamáš, M., Svensson, R. B., Schjerling, Peter, Kjær, Michael, Andersen, Jesper Løvind & Mackey, Abigail, 2022, In: The Journal of Physiology. 600, 8, p. 1969-1989Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
- Published
The proteomic profile of the human myotendinous junction
Karlsen, A., Gonzalez-Franquesa, A., Jakobsen, J. R., Krogsgaard, Michael R., Koch, M., Kjær, Michael, Schiaffino, S., Mackey, Abigail & Deshmukh, Atul Shahaji, 2022, In: iScience. 25, 2, 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
- Published
RNA-sequencing and immunofluorescence of the myotendinous junction of mature horses and humans
Jakobsen, J. R., Schjerling, Peter, Svensson, R. B., Buhl, Rikke, Carstensen, Helena, Koch, M., Rindom Krogsgaard, M. R., Kjær, Michael & Mackey, Abigail, 2021, In: American journal of physiology. Cell physiology. 321, p. C453–C470Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
- Published
Preserved capacity for satellite cell proliferation, regeneration, and hypertrophy in the skeletal muscle of healthy elderly men
Karlsen, A., Soendenbroe, C., Malmgaard‐clausen, N. M., Wagener, F., Moeller, C. E., Senhaji, Z., Damberg, K., Andersen, Jesper Løvind, Schjerling, P., Kjær, Michael & Mackey, Abigail, 2020, In: The FASEB Journal. 34, 5, p. 6418-6436Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
- Published
Muscle-nerve communication and the molecular assessment of human skeletal muscle denervation with aging
Søndenbroe, C., Andersen, Jesper Løvind & Mackey, Abigail, 2021, In: American journal of physiology. Cell physiology. 321, 2, p. C317-C329Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
ID: 920363
Most downloads
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2250
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Life-long endurance exercise in humans: circulating levels of inflammatory markers and leg muscle size
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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231
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The breaking and making of healthy adult human skeletal muscle in vivo
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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196
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Ibuprofen alters human testicular physiology to produce a state of compensated hypogonadism
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Published