Bent Brachvogel

The extracellular matrix is a dynamic bioactive network which connects muscle, cartilage and bone to coordinate musculoskeletal development. Many of these matrix structures are maintained throughout life, very often under metabolically challenging conditions. We unraveled the overall importance of a postnatal metabolic switch from glycolysis to mitochondrial respiration to sustain matrix and joint cartilage integrity. Lack of respiration results in premature cartilage matrix degeneration and growth retardation as it is frequently observed in patients with mitochondrial diseases. We now focus our research on the crosstalk between metabolism and matrix that translates mitochondrial dysfunction into age-related joint diseases.