Identification of membrane proteins participating myogenesis

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Coordinated development of multi-cellular organisms depends on intercellular communications and adhesions. Our research has been focused on identification of membrane proteins participating such cell-cell interactions during myogenesis. Inititially, we made a cDNA library of mRNA prepared from fusing muscle cells, which was subtracted with mRNA of myoblasts. From the screening of this library, we could identify a couple of novel membrane proteins. We are now trying to know functions of these proteins in myogenesis. We also succeeded to isolate a number of monoclonal antibodies from fusing muscle cells. Finally we studied roles of ADAM proteases in myogenesis, which we had cloned as membrane proteins activated by myogenic transcription factors. Based on the analyses of Meltrin α -/- and Meltrin β -/- mice, we concluded that these ADAM proteins indeed participate in myogenesis in vivo.