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Reproduction, Fertility and Development Reproduction, Fertility and Development Society
Vertebrate reproductive science and technology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

004. Control of skeletal muscle cell proliferation and differentiation

M. Grounds
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

School of Anatomy and Human Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 17(9) 63-63 https://doi.org/10.1071/SRB05Abs004
Submitted: 26 July 2005  Accepted: 26 July 2005   Published: 5 September 2005

Abstract

Skeletal muscle is formed by mononucleated precursor cells (myoblasts) that cease cell proliferation to start differentiation; this results in fusion between the myoblasts to form multinucleated cells (myotubes) that continue to differentiate (and fuse with more muscle cells) and mature into myofibres. Myogenesis has been widely used as a model to study in vitro factors controlling cell proliferation and differentiation. Condition in vitro may not reflect what happens in the more complex in vivo environment. Some of the key issues are what activates quiescent myoblasts in mature skeletal muscle in vivo, and what controls the switch between proliferation and differentiation? The role of the matrix, and molecules such as MyoD, p53, NFAT and IGF-1 will be considered.