Myostatin
Myostatin (MSTN), also known as growth/differentiation factor 8 or GDF8, is a secreted member of the TGF-beta family. It acts specifically as a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth, limiting muscle cell proliferation and differentiation. Browse Assay Genie's current range of Myostatin research reagents below, or read on for the biology behind the target.
Myostatin is a secreted ligand that acts specifically as a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth. Like other ligands of the TGF-beta superfamily, it binds TGF-beta receptors, which leads to the recruitment and activation of SMAD family transcription factors that regulate gene expression. Through this signalling, myostatin negatively regulates the proliferation and differentiation of skeletal muscle cells, placing a brake on muscle development.
The MSTN gene encodes a preproprotein that is proteolytically processed to generate the subunits of the mature protein. Each processed subunit joins its partner through disulfide bonds, so the active form of myostatin is a disulfide-linked homodimer. This processing step is typical of the TGF-beta family, to which myostatin belongs. Researchers studying the myostatin protein therefore need to consider the precursor, the processed subunit and the dimeric form when designing experiments.
The protein is also called growth/differentiation factor 8 (GDF8), and the HGNC previous name for the gene is growth differentiation factor 8. The myostatin gene is classed in the transforming growth factor beta superfamily. Mutations in the gene are associated with increased skeletal muscle mass in humans and other mammals, which is why myostatin is a long-standing subject of muscle biology research. Orthologues are present in mouse and rat, both named Mstn, allowing the pathway to be studied in common model organisms.
Myostatin negatively regulates skeletal muscle cell proliferation and differentiation, making it a central factor in studies of how muscle growth is controlled.
As a secreted TGF-beta family ligand, myostatin engages TGF-beta receptors and SMAD transcription factors, providing a model for ligand-driven gene regulation.
Mutations in the myostatin gene are associated with increased skeletal muscle mass in humans and other mammals, supporting genetic and comparative studies.
The preproprotein is proteolytically processed into subunits that form a disulfide-linked homodimer, a feature relevant to studies of growth factor maturation.
Myostatin is a secreted TGF-beta family ligand that acts specifically as a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth. It binds TGF-beta receptors, leading to activation of SMAD transcription factors, and negatively regulates skeletal muscle cell proliferation and differentiation.
Yes. Myostatin is the approved name for the MSTN gene, and GDF8 is its alias. UniProt lists the protein as growth/differentiation factor 8, and the previous HGNC name was growth differentiation factor 8. All of these terms refer to the same protein.
Mouse and rat both have a Mstn orthologue. Mutations in the gene are associated with increased skeletal muscle mass in humans and other mammals. Check the datasheet of any product for its validated reactivity.
Other TGF-beta superfamily ligands and SMAD signalling components relevant to muscle growth research.
Gene and protein annotations from HGNC, NCBI Gene and UniProt O14793; product specifications from Assay Genie datasheets.