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Myf5 −/− :MyoD −/− amyogenic fetuses reveal the importance of early contraction and static loading by striated muscle in mouse skeletogenesis

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Abstract

The mechanical loading of striated muscle is thought to play an important role in shaping bones and joints. Here, we examine skeletogenesis in late embryogenesis (embryonic day 18.5) in Myf5 −/− :MyoD −/− fetuses completely lacking striated muscle. The phenotype includes enlarged and fused cervical vertebrae and postural anomalies, some viscerocranial anomalies, long bone truncation and fusion, absent deltoid tuberosity of the humerus, scapular and clavicular hypoplasia, cleft palate, and cleft sternum. In contrast, neurocranial bone development was essentially normal. While the magnitude of individual effects varied throughout the skeletal system, the results are consistent with skeletal development depending on functional muscles. Novel abnormalities in the amyogenic fetuses relative to less severely paralyzed phenotypes extend our understanding of skeletogenic dependence on embryonic muscle contraction and static loading.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grant 2004-2013 (Med-Project) from the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation (NSHRF) and grants 238726-01 (to B.K.) and A5056 (to B.K.H.) from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). T.R. and K.J.D. are recipients of the NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS, Canada, B3H 1X5

    Irena Rot-Nikcevic, Tyler Reddy, Kevin J. Downing, Anne C. Belliveau & Boris Kablar

  2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford Street, Halifax, NS, Canada, B3H 4J1

    Kevin J. Downing & Brian K. Hall

  3. Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2N 4N1

    Benedikt Hallgrímsson

Authors
  1. Irena Rot-Nikcevic
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  2. Tyler Reddy
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  3. Kevin J. Downing
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  4. Anne C. Belliveau
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  5. Benedikt Hallgrímsson
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  6. Brian K. Hall
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  7. Boris Kablar
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Boris Kablar.

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Communicated by B. Herrmann

I. Rot-Nikcevic, T. Reddy, and K.J. Downing contributed equally to this work.

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Rot-Nikcevic, I., Reddy, T., Downing, K.J. et al. Myf5 −/− :MyoD −/− amyogenic fetuses reveal the importance of early contraction and static loading by striated muscle in mouse skeletogenesis. Dev Genes Evol 216, 1–9 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00427-005-0024-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00427-005-0024-9

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