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Updated: Oct 22, 2025
Preparation of Primary Myogenic Precursor Cell/Myoblast Cultures from Basal Vertebrate Lineages
Published on: April 30, 2014
Genetic compensation between Pax3 and Pax7 in zebrafish appendicular muscle formation
Hanna Nord1, Abraha Kahsay1, Nils Dennhag1
1Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Background:
Migrating muscle progenitors delaminate from the somite and subsequently form muscle tissue in distant anatomical regions such as the paired appendages, or limbs. In amniotes, this process requires a signaling cascade including the transcription factor paired box 3 (Pax3).
Results:
In this study, we found that, unlike in mammals, pax3a/3b double mutant zebrafish develop near to normal appendicular muscle. By analyzing numerous mutant combinations of pax3a, pax3b and pax7a, and pax7b, we determined that there is a feedback system and a compensatory mechanism between Pax3 and Pax7 in this developmental process, even though Pax7 alone is not required for appendicular myogenesis. pax3a/3b/7a/7b quadruple mutant developed muscle-less pectoral fins.
Conclusions:
We found that Pax3 and Pax7 are redundantly required during appendicular myogenesis in zebrafish, where Pax7 is able to activate the same developmental programs as Pax3 in the premigratory progenitor cells.
