Cellular Aspect of Muscle Growth: Myogenic Cell Proliferation

Abstract

Muscle differentiation and growth are accomplished by two fundamental sets of cellular processes, protein accretion and cell proliferation. This review is restricted to a discussion of the role of cell proliferation in the growth of muscle during prenatal and postnatal life. More specifically, the discussion is divided into three topic areas, which include the role of muscle precursor cell proliferation in prenatal and postnatal development and a review of factors that may be regulating the proliferation of myogenic cells. The proliferation of embryonic myogenic cells and their differentiation into multinucleated fibers, as well as the proliferation of myogenic cells in postnatal muscle (satellite cells) are major factors determining the ultimate mass of muscle that can be produced by an animal.