Control of Diaphragm Muscle in Health and Disease.

Authors

Obaid U Khurram, Matthew J Fogarty, Gary C Sieck

Published in

Annual review of physiology. Oct 30, 2026. Epub Oct 30, 2026.

Abstract

Unique to mammals, the diaphragm muscle (DIAm) is the major pump muscle for breathing. The DIAm is a skeletal muscle composed of different fiber types with different mechanical and fatigue properties. Neural control of the DIAm is mediated by recruitment of motor units (MUs), each comprising a phrenic motor neuron in the cervical spinal cord and the set of muscle fibers (of a single type) it innervates. Thus, by recruiting different MU types, a range of motor behaviors can be accomplished. To support breathing, which is a sustained behavior, fatigue-resistant slow (type I fibers) and fast (type IIa fibers) MUs are recruited. However, the DIAm also subserves short duration, higher-force airway clearance, and voiding behaviors that require recruitment of more fatigable fast (type IIx/IIb) fibers. Importantly, in disease conditions, these fatigable DIAm MUs are more vulnerable, while fatigue-resistant MUs are more resilient.

PMID:
42961831
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 31 Oct 2026.

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