What is myostatin?

myostatin is a protein that limits muscle growth in tissues where it is found in high concentrations. Proteins, such as this that act as signaling molecules between cells, are called growth factors . Myostatin was previously known as the growth and differentiation factor 8. It is made in muscle cells and then transmitted to other muscle cells by blood flow, attached to specific receptors on their cellular membranes. Although the exact mechanism is unknown, this protein is somehow able to reduce the development of muscle stem cells, cells responsible for differentiation to other muscle cells, leading to a closure of muscle size.

Myostatin was discovered in 1997, when McPherron and Se-Jin Lee created "Mighty Mice" -Iši lashing a certain gene, and therefore could not produce this protein, they have about twice the size of those in normal mice. Scientists have noted that "they look like Schwarzenegger mice". Gen associated with this substance was found in genomeH people, mice and zebrafish. Some types of cattle were selected to have defective genes of myostatin, leading to an increase in the overall size.

In 2001, SE-JIN Lee was able to produce mice with large muscles, but the intact gene of myostatin by inserting mutations that caused the release of the suppressin substances. In 2004, it was found that the German boy had a mutation in both copies of his myostatin production gene, which means that his body was unusually large. Scientists began to examine methods to suppress production on a wider scale with livestock. This raised numerous bioetic questions.

Lower concentrations of this protein in the blood are responsible for muscle growth in juvenile animals. Hormones trigger a reduction in the release of myostatin. When the animal enters the adult phase, the production of protein continues in full. His discovery led to questions about the presence of similar signaling and herH associated genes in other types of tissue, such as brain tissue. The manipulation of myostatin was also cited as an approach to the fight against muscle dystrophy.