Vertebrate Embryo: Myogenesis and Muscle Development

Abstract

The formation and patterning of three types of muscle tissues are found in vertebrates: smooth, cardiac and skeletal. All three muscle types share the property that they contract to move substances around the body (smooth and cardiac) or move and stabilise the skeleton (skeletal). Although there are common signalling pathways utilised by all muscle types, each utilises a unique pathway. The varied origins of myogenic cells and the important role of local signals coordinate the correct migration from their site of origin to final location. The local environmental signals also coordinate proliferation and expansion of myogenic precursors and finally the correct patterning, orientation and differentiation of myogenic cells. It is also evidenced that the environment continues to have an important role in the regenerative and growth of muscle tissue postnatally. Key Concepts That often the same signalling pathways are used independent of the phenotype of muscle being produced. Although many different cell lineages are used to produce smooth muscle, cardiac and skeletal muscles use more specific cell lineages. The environment that myogenic cells inhabit often helps to specify the early myogenic specification pathway and the later patterning of the differentiating myogenic cells into specific muscle groups and fibre types. The regenerative capacity in the postnatal muscle tissue is also regulated by the environment.

A Review on the Genetic Regulation of Myogenesis and Muscle Development

“…The formation and patterning of three muscle types are usually found in vertebrates, i.e. smooth, cardiac and skeletal muscles (Robson, 2017). All these three muscle types share the property that they contract to move substances around the body (smooth and cardiac) or move and stabilize the skeleton or skeletal (Robson, 2017).…”

“…smooth, cardiac and skeletal muscles (Robson, 2017). All these three muscle types share the property that they contract to move substances around the body (smooth and cardiac) or move and stabilize the skeleton or skeletal (Robson, 2017). Specifically, the skeletal muscles are very import economic genetic traits in domestic animals (Aiello et al, 2018;Dou et al, 2018), such as the breast and leg muscles in commercial broiler chicken.…”