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First published online November 27, 2006

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Myogenesis: making contact and giving the right signals

Cell-cell contacts are important during development in part because they initiate signals that regulate differentiation. During myogenesis, the formation of cadherin-based adhesions between committed but proliferating myoblasts triggers their exit from the cell cycle and terminal differentiation. Now, Jennifer Pell and co-workers report that cadherin-mediated activation of the small GTPase RhoA and p38 MAP kinase (p38 MAPK) links the formation of cell-cell contacts to the synthesis of the pro-myogenic growth factor IGF-II (see p. 4828). p38 MAPK is essential for myogenesis but what regulates its activity during this process had remained unclear. The authors first noticed a correlation between the initial density of mouse myoblasts and N-cadherin levels, p38 MAPK phosphorylation, Igf2 expression and myogenesis. They then used N-cadherin, dominant-negative N-cadherin, constitutively active and dominant-negative forms of RhoA, and p38 MAPK constructs to investigate how cell-cell adhesion is linked to myogenesis. They conclude that N-cadherin activation through cell-cell contact activates RhoA. This then activates the - and ß-isoforms of p38 MAPK, which in turn stimulates IGF-II synthesis and myogenesis.

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Related articles in JCS:

Convergence of Igf2 expression and adhesion signalling via RhoA and p38 MAPK enhances myogenic differentiation

Fiona A. Lovett, Ivelisse Gonzalez, Dervis A. M. Salih, Laura J. Cobb, Gyanendra Tripathi, Ruth A. Cosgrove, Adele Murrell, Peter J. Kilshaw, and Jennifer M. Pell
JCS 2006 119: 4828-4840. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in JCS Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?