HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Strohman, R. C. Articles by Przybyla, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Strohman, R. C. Articles by Przybyla, A.

Cell Fusion and Terminal Differentiation of Myogenic Cells in Culture^{1, 2,}

University of California³, Berkeley 94720

Abstract

Early stages of myogenic cell activity may be revealed in chicken embryo cells in vitro by a positive cytochemical reaction for acetylcholine esterase activity. During later stages of the differentiation of the skeletal muscle fiber myogenic cell fusion precedes terminal differentiation as marked by the rising phase of myosin synthesis. Further analysis reveals that the appearance of polysome-associated mRNA for myosin heavy chains is approximately simultaneous with the time of increased myosin synthesis. There is no evidence for latent myosin mRNA in unfused myoblasts. We speculate that myogenic cell fusion represents an extreme form of membrane perturbation requisite for terminal muscle cell differentiation. Generalized to muscle cells such as heart and early somite cells which do not fuse prior to myosin and other adult protein synthesis, we predict that specific membrane coupled events will also be found required as a stimulus for terminal differentiation.

¹ Supported by U.S. Public Health Service Grant GM 13882.

² Invitational paper presented at the Symposium on Protein Synthesis and Muscle Growth held during the 65th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Animal Science, Lincoln, Nebraska, July 21 to August 1, 1973.

³ Department of Zoology.