Spatial and functional restriction of regulatory molecules during mammalian myoblast fusion

Myoblast fusion is a highly regulated process that is key for forming skeletal muscle during development and regeneration in mammals. Much remains to be understood about the molecular regulation of myoblast fusion. Some molecules that influence mammalian muscle fusion display specific cellular localization during myogenesis. Such molecules can be localized to the contact region between two fusing cells either in both cells or only in one of the cells. How distinct localization of molecules contributes to fusion is not clear. Further complexity exists as other molecules are functionally restricted to myoblasts at later stages of myogenesis to regulate their fusion with multinucleated myotubes. This review examines these three categories of molecules and discusses how spatial and functional restriction may contribute to the formation of a multinucleated cell. Understanding how and why molecules become restricted in location or function is likely to provide further insights into the mechanisms regulating mammalian muscle fusion.