Taurine 8: Chapter 29 - The Role of Taurine on Skeletal Muscle Cell Differetiation

Abstract

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 de fi ciency 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 there- fore, 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-de fi cient condition. In the present study, we con fi rmed, in cultured mouse differentiable myoblast, taurine treatment signi fi cantly 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.