Myostatin is a member of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) super-family. It acts as a negative regulator for skeletal muscle growth. Myostatin mutations are characterized by a visible, generalized increase in muscle mass in double muscled cattle breeds. To understand the biochemistry and physiology of the Chinese Yellow bovine myostatin gene, we report here for the first time expression ...

This study reports the results of a multipoint linkage study that aims to unravel the genetic basis of muscle strength and muscle mass in humans. Myostatin (GDF8) is known to be a strong inhibitor of muscle growth in animals. However, studies examining human myostatin polymorphisms are rare and are limited to the GDF8 gene itself. Here, the contribution to isometric and concentric knee strength...

THE PLASTICITY OF SKELETAL muscle continues to fascinate physiologists and cell biologists. Many of the key molecules in the pathways that signal growth or atrophy of muscle have been identified, along with a number of hormones and growth factors that regulate these pathways. This knowledge may enable us to more effectively prevent or reverse muscle atrophy associated with a number of condition...

Myostatin, encoded by the MSTN gene (previously GDF8), is a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily, which normally acts to limit skeletal muscle mass by regulating the number and growth of muscle fibers. In this study, a total of 84 myostatin gene sequences with known complete coding regions (CDS) and corresponding amino acid sequences were analyzed from 17 species, and differen...

Myostatin is a member of the transforming growth factor-β/bone morphogenetic protein (TGF-β/BMP) superfamily of secreted factors that functions as a potent inhibitor of skeletal muscle growth. Moreover, considerable evidence has accumulated that myostatin also regulates metabolism and that its inhibition can significantly attenuate the progression of obesity and diabetes. Although at least part...

Myostatin is a transforming growth factor beta family member that acts as a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth. Myostatin circulates in the blood of adult mice in a noncovalently held complex with other proteins, including its propeptide, which maintain the C-terminal dimer in a latent, inactive state. This latent form of myostatin can be activated in vitro by treatment with acid; how...

Loss of skeletal muscle mass is a poorly understood complication of end-stage liver disease (ESLD). Based on recent stem cell literature, we hypothesized that the potent negative regulator of muscle mass, myostatin, could play a role in the muscle loss associated with ESLD. In this preliminary investigation, we measured myostatin levels in patients undergoing liver transplant evaluation, using ...

An experiment was carried out on myostatin gene with the objectives of identification of polymorphism in the myostatin gene and estimation of the effect of polymorphism on growth traits in chickens. Single-stranded conformation polymorphism followed by sequencing was performed to reveal polymorphism of the gene. A total of 13 haplotypes were observed across 3 chicken lines (PB-1 and CB as broil...

Myostatin represses muscle growth by negatively regulating the number and size of muscle fibers. Myostatin lossof- function can result in the double-muscling phenotype and increased muscle mass. Thus, knockout of myostatin gene could improve the quality of meat from mammals. In the present study, zinc finger nucleases, a useful tool for generating gene knockout animals, were designed to target ...

Myostatin is involved in an inhibitor of muscular growth and differentiation. Myoblasts derived from double-muscled Japanese shorthorn cattle (DM myoblasts) with absence of functional myostatin had higher abilities to proliferate and differentiate than myoblasts derived from normal-muscled cattle (NM myoblasts). In DM myoblasts, mRNA expressions of fetal myosin heavy chain (MyHC) in growth medi...