Down-regulation of MyoD by calpain 3 promotes generation of reserve cells in C2C12 myoblasts.

ABSTRACT: Calpain 3 is a calcium-dependent cysteine protease that is primarily expressed in skeletal muscle and is implicated in limb girdle muscular dystrophy type 2A. To date, its best characterized function is located within the sarcomere, but this protease is found in other cellular compartments, which suggests that it exerts multiple roles. Here, we present evidence that calpain 3 is involved in the myogenic differentiation process. In the course of in vitro culture of myoblasts to fully differentiated myotubes, a population of quiescent undifferentiated "reserve cells" are maintained. These reserve cells are closely related to satellite cells responsible for adult muscle regeneration. In the present work, we observe that reserve cells express higher levels of endogenous Capn3 mRNA than prolife

SUBMITTER: Stuelsatz P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2857084 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature