Repair and Regeneration of Oral and Craniofacial Tissues
Guest Editor: Julie Glowacki, Boston, Mass.

Paper

Forming a Multinucleated Cell: Molecules That Regulate Myoblast Fusion
Valerie Horsley, Grace K. Pavlath

Department of Pharmacology, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga., USA

Address of Corresponding Author

Cells Tissues Organs 2004;176:67-78 (DOI: 10.1159/000075028)

  Key Words

• NFATC2
• Macrophage
• Interleukin-4
• Prostaglandin F₂
• Myotube

  Abstract

In mammals, cell fusion occurs among a limited number of cell types: sperm and oocytes during fertilization, trophoblasts during placenta formation, macrophages during giant cell and osteoclast formation and myoblasts in the formation of myofibers and myotubes. The molecular mechanisms involved in these membrane fusion events largely are unknown. This review will focus on the known molecules that regulate myoblast fusion with an emphasis on a novel signaling pathway involving the calcium-regulated transcription factor NFATC2 in the regulation of myoblast fusion.

Copyright © 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Dr. G.K. Pavlath
Emory University School of Medicine
Department of Pharmacology, Room 5027
O.W. Rollins Research Building, Atlanta, GA 30322 (USA)
Tel. +1 404 727 3353, Fax +1 404 727 0365, E-Mail gpavlat@emory.edu

  Article Information

Number of Print Pages : 12
Number of Figures : 3, Number of Tables : 1, Number of References : 128