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Proteins that build muscle cells discovered

Wednesday 14th December 2011

Two proteins have been discovered that are essential for muscle cell fusion to build the fibre in joints.

Proteins known as Jamb and Jamc will help doctors and those who have a physiotherapy job to better understand conditions such as muscle-wasting disorders and diseases of bone over-growth, in which cellular fusion is an important feature.

A team of researchers at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute found that the binding of these two proteins was essential to building muscle fibre.

If they were unable to connect it would prevent cellular fusion resulting in unusual muscles.

Cellular fusion is necessary to form larger cells that have specific functions throughout growth. Among the tissues that depend on cell fusion are the placenta, skeletal muscle and bone reshaping cells.

Dr Gavin Wright, senior author from the Sanger Institute, said: "To our knowledge, this is the first example of a vertebrate cell surface protein pair essential for cellular fusion. Our discovery has important implications for understanding the biological mechanisms of fusion and also muscle repair and development."

A lack of fibre in muscles can create conditions such as muscular dystrophy which affect millions around the world.

written by Mathew Horton