THE GENERATION AND INTERPRETATION OF POSITIONAL INFORMATION WITHIN THE VERTEBRATE MYOTOME

How semitic cells become restricted to the muscle fate has been invest igated on a number of levels. Classical embryological manipulations ha ve attempted to define the source of inductive signals that control th e formation of the myotome. Recently, these studies have converged wit h others dissecting the role of secreted proteins in embryonic pattern ing to demonstrate a role for specific peptides in inducing individual cell types of the myotome. Collectively, these investigations have im plicated the products of the Wnt, Hedgehog (Hh) and Bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp) gene families as key myogenic regulators; simultaneousl y controlling both the initiation of myogenesis and the fate of indivi dual myoblasts. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.