title: Laminin-211 in skeletal muscle function.
abstract: A chain is no stronger than its weakest link is an old idiom that holds true for muscle biology. As the name implies, skeletal muscle's main function is to move the bones. However, for a muscle to transmit force and withstand the stress that contractions give rise to, it relies on a chain of proteins attaching the cytoskeleton of the muscle fiber to the surrounding extracellular matrix. The importance of this attachment is illustrated by a large number of muscular dystrophies caused by interruption of the cytoskeletal-extracellular matrix interaction. One of the major components of the extracellular matrix is laminin, a heterotrimeric glycoprotein and a major constituent of the basement membrane. It has become increasingly apparent that laminins are involved in a multitude of biological functions, including cell adhesion, differentiation, proliferation, migration and survival. This review will focus on the importance of laminin-211 for normal skeletal muscle function.
authors.affiliation: Muscle Biology Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. johan_k.holmberg@med.lu.se
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holmberg
authors.forename: Madeleine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Durbeej
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival; D049030:Dystroglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007797:Laminin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D024510:Muscle Development; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009136:Muscular Dystrophies / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009154:Mutation; D011485:Protein Binding; D012508:Sarcolemma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D007797:Laminin; C102645:laminin alpha 2; D049030:Dystroglycans