title: Extracellular matrix remodeling accompanies axial muscle development and morphogenesis in the mouse.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Skeletal myogenesis is extensively influenced by the surrounding environment. However, how the extracellular matrix (ECM) affects morphogenesis of muscles is not well understood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We mapped the three-dimensional (3D) organization of fibronectin, tenascin, and laminin by immunofluorescence during early epaxial myogenesis in mouse embryos. We define four stages of dermomyotome/myotome development and reveal the 3D organization of myogenic cells within their ECM during those stages. Fibronectin is abundant in all interstitial tissues, while tenascin is restricted to intersegmental borders. Bundles of fibronectin and tenascin also penetrate into the myotome, possibly promoting myocyte alignment. A laminin matrix delineates the dermomyotome and myotome and undergoes dynamic changes, correlating with key developmental events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our observations cast new light on how myotomal cells interact with their environment and suggest that, as the segmented myotomes transform into the epaxial muscle masses, the laminin matrix disassembles and myocytes use the abundant fibronectin matrix to reach their final organization.
authors: Centro de Biologia Ambiental/Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal. mederies@fc.ul.pt
authors: Marianne
authors: M
authors: Deries
authors: André B
authors: AB
authors: Gonçalves
authors: Raquel
authors: R
authors: Vaz
authors: Gabriel G
authors: GG
authors: Martins
authors: Gabriela
authors: G
authors: Rodrigues
authors: Sólveig
authors: S
authors: Thorsteinsdóttir
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism*; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007797:Laminin / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D009024:Morphogenesis; D024510:Muscle Development; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D020543:Proteome / Q000378:metabolism; D017474:Receptors, Laminin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D019063:Tenascin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005353:Fibronectins; D007797:Laminin; D020543:Proteome; D017474:Receptors, Laminin; D019063:Tenascin