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Fusion Competence of Myoblasts Rendered Genetically Null for N-Cadherin in Culture
| Citations: | 7 - 1 self |
BibTeX
@MISC{Charlton_fusioncompetence,
author = {Carol A. Charlton and William A. Mohler and Glenn L. Radice and Richard O. Hynes and Helen M. Blau},
title = {Fusion Competence of Myoblasts Rendered Genetically Null for N-Cadherin in Culture},
year = {}
}
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Abstract
Abstract. Myoblast fusion is essential to muscle tissue development yet remains poorly understood. N-cadherin, like other cell surface adhesion molecules, has been implicated by others in muscle formation based on its pattern of expression and on inhibition of myoblast aggregation and fusion by antibodies or peptide mimics. Mice rendered homozygous null for N-cadherin revealed the general importance of the molecule in early development, but did not test a role in skeletal myogenesis, since the embryos died before muscle formation. To test genetically the proposed role of N-cadherin in myoblast fusion, we successfully obtained N-cadherin null primary myoblasts in culture. Fusion of myoblasts expressing or lacking N-cadherin was found to be equivalent, both in vitro by intracistronic complementation of lacZ and in vivo by injection into the muscles of adult mice. An essential role for N-cadherin in mediating the effects of basic fibroblast growth factor was also excluded. These methods for obtaining genetically homozygous null somatic cells from adult tissues should have broad applications. Here, they demonstrate clearly that the putative fusion molecule, N-cadherin, is not essential for myoblast fusion. Evidence that N-cadherin, a calcium-dependent, cell surface adhesion molecule, plays a role in myoblast fusion is drawn from its spatial and temporal pattern
Keyphrases
myoblast fusion myoblasts rendered genetically null fusion competence cell surface adhesion molecule muscle formation myoblast aggregation temporal pattern broad application tissue development intracistronic complementation poorly understood putative fusion molecule peptide mimic homozygous null somatic cell homozygous null general importance early development basic fibroblast growth factor adult tissue n-cadherin null primary myoblasts skeletal myogenesis essential role adult mouse
