| Theme |
Sarcopenia and bone metabolism |
| Title |
Molecular mechanism of skeletal muscle differentiation |
| Author |
Masashi Naito |
Department of Systems Biomedicine, Graduate School and Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University |
| Author |
Hiroshi Asahara |
Department of Systems Biomedicine, Graduate School and Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University |
| [ Summary ] |
Muscle differentiation has been studied as a leading model of tissue differentiation since the discovery of MyoD, the master regulator of myogenesis. The fate of myogenic precursor cells is first determined by Pax3/Pax7, the expression of which gradually decreases when myogenesis begins. Alternatively, expression of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors known as muscle regulatory factors, such as Myf5, MyoD, Myog and MRF4 significantly increases. These cells are specified as myoblasts which fuse together, and differentiate into skeletal muscle fibers. These transcription factors are functionally redundant in part and are form a complex gene network which regulates myogenesis. |