Open AccessMarking the tempo for myogenesis: Pax7 and the regulation of muscle stem cell fate decisions
Author(s) -
Olguín Hugo C.,
Pisconti Addolorata
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of cellular and molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.44
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1582-4934
pISSN - 1582-1838
DOI - 10.1111/j.1582-4934.2011.01348.x
Subject(s) - myogenesis , myod , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , skeletal muscle , progenitor cell , myf5 , cell fate determination , stem cell , myocyte , transcription factor , myod protein , myogenin , genetics , anatomy , gene
• Introduction• Pax proteins in muscle formation• Pax7/MRF cross‐regulation and the control of satellite cell fate• Transcriptional and non‐transcriptional Pax7 functions in myogenic progenitors• Protein interactions, post‐translational modifications and the regulation of Pax7• Extracellular signalling and the control of Pax7 in muscle progenitors‐ Wnt signalling‐ Notch signalling‐ The transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) superfamily‐ Syndecans‐ Tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and p38• Concluding remarksPost‐natal growth and regeneration of skeletal muscle is highly dependent on a population of resident myogenic precursors known as satellite cells. Transcription factors from the Pax gene family, Pax3 and Pax7 , are critical for satellite cell biogenesis, survival and potentially self‐renewal; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unsolved. This is particularly true in the case of Pax7, which appears to regulate myogenesis at multiple levels. Accordingly, recent data have highlighted the importance of a functional relationship between Pax7 and the MyoD family of muscle regulatory transcription factors during normal muscle formation and disease. Here we will critically review key findings suggesting that Pax7 may play a dual role by promoting resident muscle progenitors to commit to the skeletal muscle lineage while preventing terminal differentiation, thus keeping muscle progenitors poised to differentiate upon environmental cues. In addition, potential regulatory mechanisms for the control of Pax7 activity will be proposed.