The myogenic regulatory factors, determinants of muscle development, cell identity and regeneration

• Published in: Seminars in cell & developmental biology Vol. 72; pp. 10 - 18
• Main Authors: Hernández-Hernández, J. Manuel, García-González, Estela G., Brun, Caroline E., Rudnicki, Michael A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-12-2017
• Subjects: Animals; Cell Differentiation - genetics; Cell Lineage - genetics; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Mice; Muscle Development - genetics; Muscle, Skeletal - cytology; Muscle, Skeletal - embryology; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; MyoD; Myogenesis; Myogenic regulatory factors; Myogenic Regulatory Factors - classification; Myogenic Regulatory Factors - genetics; Phylogeny; Regeneration - genetics; Skeletal muscle; MyoD; MRFs; Myogenic regulatory factors; miRNA; ChIP; Skeletal muscle; Myogenesis; bHLH
• ISSN: 1084-9521; 1096-3634
• DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.11.010

The Myogenic Regulatory Factors (MRFs) Myf5, MyoD, myogenin and MRF4 are members of the basic helix-loop-helix family of transcription factors that control the determination and differentiation of skeletal muscle cells during embryogenesis and postnatal myogenesis. The dynamics of their temporal and spatial expression as well as their biochemical properties have allowed the identification of a precise and hierarchical relationship between the four MRFs. This relationship establishes the myogenic lineage as well as the maintenance of the terminal myogenic phenotype. The application of genome-wide technologies has provided important new information as to how the MRFs function to activate muscle gene expression. Application of combined functional genomics technologies along with single cell lineage tracing strategies will allow a deeper understanding of the mechanisms mediating myogenic determination, cell differentiation and muscle regeneration.