# DEVELOPMENTAL REGULATION OF MUSCLE

> **NIH NIH R01** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 1994 · $247,131

## Abstract

We propose to characterize the mechanisms that regulate the development
and maintenance of pattern in mammalian muscle.  Muscle tissues are
characterized by complex patterns of diverse interspersed muscle fibers
specialized for different rates of contraction.  The pattern of muscle
fibers differs among muscles, a difference that is stably maintained in
the course of tissue development and repair.  The studies in this
proposal will focus on these two fundamental developmental processes.

Muscle is advantageous for this type of analysis, because the biochemical
and contractile properties of muscle fibers have been extensively studied
by others.  Moreover the pattern of fiber types that is present during
development and aging, altered in response to activity and innervation,
and degenerates in disease states is well documented.  Two related but
distinct questions central to muscle regulatory biology will be
addressed: (1) How is muscle fiber pattern established during
development? The relative roles of cell autonomous behavior (lineage) and
cell-cell interactions (environment) in establishing muscle fiber
diversity will be examined during embryogenesis.  Specifically, the
cellular basis for the temporal pattern of primary and secondary fiber
development and the spatial pattern of fast and slow fiber development
will be elucidated. (2) How is myoblast migration controlled during fiber
regeneration? Chemotactic signals that trigger myoblast proliferation and
migration to sites of damage will be elucidated.  Adhesive signals that
promote myoblast binding and incorporation into fibers to sites of damage
will be characterized.

These studies will take advantage of properties unique to muscle: progeny
of a single myoblast (clone) can be genetically marked with retroviral
vectors and monitored in vivo, isolated and extensively characterized in
vitro, and reimplanted into muscle tissues.  Thus, findings in the simple
milieu of tissue culture can be tested in the complex environment of the
organism.  These studies should contribute to a basic understanding of
muscle development and regeneration and have direct application to
therapeutic approaches to inherited and acquired diseases using myoblasts
as vehicles for gene delivery.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2197588
- **Project number:** 5R01HD018179-11
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** HJD6G4D6TJY5
- **Principal Investigator:** Helen M Blau
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1994
- **Award amount:** $247,131
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1983-07-01 → 1997-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2197588

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2197588, DEVELOPMENTAL REGULATION OF MUSCLE (5R01HD018179-11). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2197588. Licensed CC0.

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