This book addresses the differentiation control of skeletal muscle in
different locations of the vertebrate body Particular attention is paid
to novel regulatory molecules and signals as well as the heterogeneity
of origin that have revealed a developmental overlap between skeletal
and cardiac muscle. Different functional muscle groups are the product
of the evolution of the vertebrate classes, making a phylogenetic
comparison worthwhile for understanding the role of muscle stem cells
and precursors in myogenesis. New insights into the hierarchy of
transcription factors, particularly in the context of these different
muscle groups have been gained from detailed investigations of the
spatio-temporal and regulatory relationships derived from mouse and
zebrafish genetics and avian microsurgery. Importantly, epigenetic
mechanisms that have surfaced recently, in particular the role of
MyomiRs, are also surveyed.
With an eye to the human patient, encouraging results have been
generated that identify parallels between embryonic myogenesis and
regenerating myofibers due to common regulatory molecules. On the other
hand, both processes differ considerably in quality and complexity of
the processes employed. Interestingly, the heterogeneity in embryonic
sources from which skeletal muscle groups in the vertebrate including
the human body take origin is paralleled by differences in their
susceptibility to particular muscle dystrophies as well as by the
characteristics of the satellite cells involved in regeneration. The
progress that has been made in the field of muscle stem cell biology,
with special focus on the satellite cells, is outlined in this book by
experts in the field. The authors review recent insights of the
heterogeneous nature of these satellite cells regarding their gene
signatures and regeneration potential. Furthermore, an improved
understanding of muscle stem cells seems only possible when we study the
impact of the cell environment on efficient stem cell replacement
therapies for muscular dystrophies, putting embryological findings from
different vertebrate classes and stem cell approaches into context.
