'Myogenesis' is the formation of muscular tissue, in particular during embryonic development.
Muscle fibers form from the fusion of
myoblasts (muscle stem cells) into multi-nucleated fibers (called
myotubes). In the early development of an
embryo these myoblasts will proliferate if enough
fibroblast growth factor is present. When the FGF runs out, the myoblasts cease division and secrete
fibronectin onto their
extracellular matrix.
The second stage involves the alignment of the myoblasts into the myotubes. The identity of the myoblasts in this stage is not crucial. Studies have shown that even rat and chick myoblasts have aligned!
[1]
The third stage is the actual cell fusion itself. In this stage,
calcium ions are critical for development. Fusion is mediated by a set of metalloproteinases called
meltrins.
Myocyte Enhance Factors (MEFs) promote myogenesis.
References
★
Gilbert, Scott F. ''Developmental Biology'', Sixth Edition - Myogenesis - The Development of Muscle
1. YAFFE D, FELDMAN M. THE FORMATION OF HYBRID MULTINUCLEATED MUSCLE FIBERS FROM MYOBLASTS OF DIFFERENT GENETIC ORIGIN.