The role of the extracellular matrix in skeletal muscle development

Skeletal muscle fibers are surrounded by an extracellular matrix. The extracellular matrix is composed of glycoproteins, collagen, and proteoglycans. Proteoglycans have been suggested to play an important functional role in tissue differentiation; however, an understanding of how the extracellular matrix affects skeletal muscle development and function is largely unknown. Proteoglycans can regulate collagen fibrillogenesis, inhibit cell growth, and modulate the response to growth factors. Our studies have focused on the proteoglycan decorin, which interacts with transforming growth factor-beta and regulates collagen fibrillogenesis and cellular growth properties in the avian genetic muscle weakness Low Score Normal. Low Score Normal pectoral muscle development is characterized by a late embryonic increase in the expression of decorin followed by a subsequent increase in collagen crosslinking and modified collagen fibril organization. This paper reviews the interaction of extracellular matrix molecules, cell-extracellular matrix interactions, and modulation of growth factor activity. How proteoglycans may interface with each of these key events during skeletal muscle myogenesis is discussed.