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INVITED REVIEWS

Transforming growth factor-β and myostatin signaling in skeletal muscle

¹Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland; and ²Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The superfamily of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) cytokines has been shown to have profound effects on cellular proliferation, differentiation, and growth. Recently, there have been major advances in our understanding of the signaling pathway(s) conveying TGF-β signals to the nucleus to ultimately control gene expression. One tissue that is potently influenced by TGF-β superfamily signaling is skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscle ontogeny and postnatal physiology have proven to be exquisitely sensitive to the TGF-β superfamily cytokine milieu in various animal systems from mice to humans. Recently, major strides have been made in understanding the role of TGF-β and its closely related family member, myostatin, in these processes. In this overview, we will review recent advances in our understanding of the TGF-β and myostatin signaling pathways and, in particular, focus on the implications of this signaling pathway for skeletal muscle development, physiology, and pathology.

myogenesis; Smad; MyoD