Spatial and functional restriction of regulatory molecules during mammalian myoblast fusion

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Grace K Pavlath, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2010-11-01
• Publisher: Elsevier: 12 months
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yexcr.2010.05.025
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Experimental Cell Research
• ISSN: 0014-4827
• Volume: 316
• Issue: 18
• Start Page: 3067
• End Page: 3072
• Grant/Funding Information: GKP is supported by grants AR047314, AR051372, AR052730 and NS069234 from the National Institutes of Health.; National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases : NIAMS
• Keywords: myotube; myoblast fusion; myogenesis; muscle regeneration; vertebrate; satellite cells
• Research Categories: Biology, Cell

Abstract

Myoblast fusion is a highly regulated process that is key for forming skeletal muscle during development and regeneration in mammals. Much remains to be understood about the molecular regulation of myoblast fusion. Some molecules that influence mammalian muscle fusion display specific cellular localization during myogenesis. Such molecules can be localized to the contact region between two fusing cells either in both cells or only in one of the cells. How distinct localization of molecules contributes to fusion is not clear. Further complexity exists as other molecules are functionally restricted to myoblasts at later stages of myogenesis to regulate their fusion with multinucleated myotubes. This review examines these three categories of molecules and discusses how spatial and functional restriction may contribute to the formation of a multinucleated cell. Understanding how and why molecules become restricted in location or function is likely to provide further insights into the mechanisms regulating mammalian muscle fusion.