Investigating FGF ERK MAP kinase signalling in vertebrate skeletal muscle differentiation

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All vertebrates, including human, contain many different cells with specialized functions. We want to understand how these different cell types arise from a single cell, the fertilized egg, during embryonic development.We know that cells in an embryo are told what to do by so-called signalling molecules. Many of these signals have been discovered in model organisms, and it is clear that the same signals are important to control human development. Interestingly, one specific signal can cause many different cellular responses. We think that it will be important to understand the mechanisms behind this, so that we might be able to control the differentiation of cells in culture.We will investigate how fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signals control the growth and differentiation of skeletal muscle cells during chick embryo development. This will help to identify the components required to make healthy skeletal muscle and should help to understand the mechanisms used during muscle regeneration and repair. We hope that in future the knowledge gained from our research will help to develop new therapies for people with muscle wasting, which happens because of long-term illness or old age.