Regulation of skeletal muscle mass in mice by a new tgf-p superfamily member
- Select a language for the TTS:
- UK English Female
- UK English Male
- US English Female
- US English Male
- Australian Female
- Australian Male
- Language selected: (auto detect) - EN
Play all audios:

ABSTRACT The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily encompasses a large group of growth and differentiation factors playing important roles in regulating embryonic development and
in maintaining tissue homeostasis in adult animals1. Using degenerate polymerase chain reaction, we have identified a new murine TGF-β family member, growth/differentiation factor-8 (GDF-8),
which is expressed specifically in developing and adult skeletal muscle. During early stages of embryogenesis, GDF-8 expression is restricted to the myotome compartment of developing
somites. At later stages and in adult animals, GDF-8 is expressed in many different muscles throughout the body. To determine the biological function of GDF-8, we disrupted the GDF-8 gene by
gene targeting in mice. GDF-8 null animals are significantly larger than wild-type animals and show a large and widespread increase in skeletal muscle mass. Individual muscles of mutant
animals weigh 2-3 times more than those of wild-type animals, and the increase in mass appears to result from a combination of muscle cell hyperplasia and hypertrophy. These results suggest
that GDF-8 functions specifically as a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via
your institution ACCESS OPTIONS Access through your institution Subscribe to this journal Receive 51 print issues and online access $199.00 per year only $3.90 per issue Learn more Buy this
article * Purchase on SpringerLink * Instant access to full article PDF Buy now Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout ADDITIONAL ACCESS OPTIONS: * Log in
* Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS YTHDF2 GOVERNS MUSCLE SIZE THROUGH A TARGETED MODULATION OF
PROTEOSTASIS Article Open access 11 March 2024 THE TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR NF-Y PARTICIPATES TO STEM CELL FATE DECISION AND REGENERATION IN ADULT SKELETAL MUSCLE Article Open access 14 October
2021 MUSCLE FIBER MYC IS DISPENSABLE FOR MUSCLE GROWTH AND ITS FORCED EXPRESSION SEVERELY PERTURBS HOMEOSTASIS Article Open access 03 April 2025 REFERENCES * McPherron, A. C. & Lee,
S.-J. in _Growth Factors and Cytokines in Health and Disease_ Vol. 1B (eds LeRoith, D. & Bondy, C.) 357–393 (JAI, Greenwich, 1996). Google Scholar * Friedman, J. M. & Leibel, R. L.
Tackling a weighty problem. _Cell_ 69, 217–220 (1992). Article CAS Google Scholar * Spiegelman, B. M. & Flier, J. S. Adipogenesis and obesity: rounding out the big picture. _Cell_ 87,
377– 389(1996). Article CAS Google Scholar * McPherron, A. C. & Lee, S.-J. GDF-3 and GDF-9: two new members of the transforming growth factor-P superfamily containing a novel pattern
of cysteines. _J. Biol. Chem._ 268, 3444–3449 (1993). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Lee, S.-J. & Nathans, D. Proliferin secreted by cultured cells binds to mannose-6-phosphate
receptors. _J. Biol. Chem._ 263, 3521–3527 (1988). CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Burnette, W. N. Western blotting: electrophoretic transfer of proteins from sodium dodecyl
sulfatepolyacrylamide gels to unmodified nitrocellulose and radiographic detection with antibody and radioiodinated protein A. _Anal. Biochem._ 112, 195–203 (1981). Article CAS Google
Scholar * Wilkinson, D. G. in _In situ Hybridization: A Practical Approach_ (ed. Wilkinson, D. G.) 75–83 (IRL, Oxford, 1992). Google Scholar * Knecht, A. K., Good, P. J., Dawid, I. B.
& Harland, R. M. Dorsal-ventral patterning and differentiation of noggin-induced neural tissue in the absence of mesoderm. _Development_ 121, 1927–1935 (1995). CAS PubMed Google
Scholar * Wilkinson, D. G., Bailes, J. A. & McMahon, A. P. Expression of the proto-oncogene int-I is restricted to specific neural cells in the developing mouse embryo. _Cell_ 50, 79–88
(1987). Article CAS Google Scholar * Brumback, R. A. & Leech, R. W. _Color Atlas of Muscle Histochemistry_ (PSG, Littleton, MA, 1984). Google Scholar * Leshner, A. I., Litwin, V. A.
& Squibb, R. L. A simple method for carcass analysis. _Physiol. Behav._ 9, 281–282 (1972). Article CAS Google Scholar Download references AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS
* Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, USA Alexandra C. McPherron & Se-Jin Lee *
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, USA Ann M. Lawler Authors * Alexandra C. McPherron
View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Ann M. Lawler View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar *
Se-Jin Lee View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE
McPherron, A., Lawler, A. & Lee, SJ. Regulation of skeletal muscle mass in mice by a new TGF-p superfamily member. _Nature_ 387, 83–90 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/387083a0 Download
citation * Received: 13 November 1996 * Accepted: 11 February 1997 * Issue Date: 01 May 1997 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/387083a0 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link
with will be able to read this content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Copy to clipboard Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt
content-sharing initiative