FGFG is a member of the fibroblast growth factor family, The Fgf6 gene is a
lmost exclusively expressed in adult and developing skeletal muscle. We hav
e obtained mice deficient in FGFG by targeting the Fgf6 gene by homologous
recombination. We studied regeneration of adult skeletal muscle in Fgf6 -/-
mice derived on a standard inbred background. Muscle degeneration was indu
ced by notexin drug or crush injury. The defect in FGFG did not modify the
kinetics of muscle regeneration. We bred Fgf6 -/- mice with mdz: dystrophin
deficient mice; Fgf6 -/-:mdx and mdx muscles were similar. Our study sugge
sts that FGFG does not play a role in muscle regeneration, i.e., in satelli
te cell proliferation and fusion, or that this role is strictly compensated
by other factors, possibly other FGFs. (C) 2000 Academic Press.