title: Myostatin: more than just a regulator of muscle mass.
abstract: The presence of sufficient skeletal muscle mass is of paramount importance for body function and the myostatin cascade is known to inhibit muscle growth in mammals. In addition, myostatin seems to have an important role in the cross-talk between skeletal muscle and adipose tissue and is involved in insulin sensitivity. In this article we highlight the latest developments related to the myostatin system, emphasizing therapeutic implications for wasting diseases and also the involvement of the system in other organs, in addition to skeletal muscle, such as heart or adipose tissue. Moreover, we highlight the possible role of the myostatin system in the cross-talk between skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, an important aspect that deserves consideration in wasting diseases.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Group, Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Josep M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Argilés
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orpí
authors.forename: Sílvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Busquets
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: López-Soriano
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002100:Cachexia / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D055435:Myostatin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019282:Wasting Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D055435:Myostatin