The role of taurine on skeletal muscle cell differentiation

Taurine abundantly contained in the skeletal muscle has been considered as one of essential factors for the differentiation and growth of skeletal muscles. The previous studies in the taurine transporter knockout mice showed that deficiency of taurine content in the skeletal muscle caused incomplete muscular developments, morphological abnormalities, and exercise abilities. In fetal and neonatal periods, taurine must be an essential amino acid due to no biosynthesis capacity, and therefore, taurine should be endogenously supplied through placenta and maternal milk. In general cell culture condition, taurine contained in the culture medium is absent or few, and therefore, most of cultured cells are in taurine-deficient condition. In the present study, we confirmed, in cultured mouse differentiable myoblast, taurine treatment significantly enhanced the differentiation to myotube in a dose-dependent manner, while these effects were abrogated by inhibitions of taurine transport and Ca(2+) signaling pathway.The present study suggested that exogenous taurine might play a key role on the mature differentiation/growth of the skeletal muscle during development period through Ca(2+) signaling pathway, and therefore, taurine would contribute the muscle recovery after damages.