Abstract
FOLLISTATIN, an activin-binding protein and activin antagonist in vitro1,2, can bind to heparan sulphate proteoglycans3 and may function in vivo to present activins to their receptors. In the mouse, follistatin messenger RNA is first detected in the deciduum (on embryonic day 5.5), and later in the developing hindbrain, somites, vibrissae, teeth, epidermis and muscle4–11. In Xenopus laevis, over-expression of follistatin leads to induction of neural tissue12. Here we use loss-of-function mutant mice to investigate the function of follistatin in mammals. We find that follistatin-deficient mice are retarded in then* growth, have decreased mass of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, shiny taut skin, skeletal defects of the hard palate and the thirteenth pair of ribs, their whisker and tooth development is abnormal, they fail to breathe, and die within hours of birth. These defects are more widespread than those seen in activin-deficient mutant mice, indicating that follistatin may modulate the actions of several members of the transforming growth factor-β family.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Michel, V., Farnworth, P. & Findlay, J. K. Molec. cell. Endocr. 91, 1–11 (1993).
Nakamura, T. et al. Science 247, 836–838 (1990).
Nakamura, T., Sugino, K., Titani, K. & Sugino, H. J. biol. Chem. 266, 19432–19437 (1991).
van den Eijnden-van Raaij, A. J. M., Feijen, A., Lawson, K. A. & Mummery, C. L. Devl Biol. 154, 356–365 (1992).
Albano, R. M., Arkell, R., Beddington, R. S. P. & Smith, J. C. Development 120, 803–813 (1994).
Feijen, A., Goumans, M. J. & van den Eijnden-van Raaij, A. J. M. Development 120, 3621–3637 (1994).
Roberts, V. J. & Barth, S. Endocrinology 134, 914–923 (1994).
Shimasaki, S. et al. Mol. Endocrinology 3, 652–659 (1989).
Michel, V., Albiston, A. & Findley, J. K. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 173, 401–407 (1990).
Michel, V., Rao, A. & Findlay, J. K. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 180, 223–230 (1991).
Tashiro, K. et al. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 174, 1022–1027 (1991).
Hemmati-Brivanlou, A., Kelly, O. G. & Melton, D. A. Cell 77, 283–295 (1994).
Pierard-Franchimont, C. et al. J. Path. 167, 2223–2228 (1992).
Chisaka, O., Musci, T. S. & Capecchi, M. R. Nature 335, 516–520 (1992).
Matzuk, M. M. et al. Nature 374, 354–356 (1995).
Sellheyer, K. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90, 5237–5241 (1993).
Weiss, R. A., Eichner, R. & Sun, T.-T. J. Cell Biol. 98, 1397–1406 (1984).
Hashimoto, M. et al. J. biol. Chem. 267, 7203–7206 (1992).
Lopez-Casillas, F., Wrana, J. L. & Massague, J. Cell 73, 1435–1444 (1993).
Kingsley, D. M. et al. Cell 71, 399–410 (1992).
Matzuk, M. M., Finegold, M. J., Su, J-G. J., Hsueh, A. J. W. & Bradley, A. Nature 360, 313–319 (1992).
Ramirez-Solis, R. et al. Analyt. Biochem. 201, 331–335 (1992).
Ramirez-Solis, R. et al. Cell 83, 279–294 (1993).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Matzuk, M., Lu, N., Vogel, H. et al. Multiple defects and perinatal death in mice deficient in follistatin. Nature 374, 360–363 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1038/374360a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/374360a0
This article is cited by
-
Genetic and ecological drivers of molt in a migratory bird
Scientific Reports (2023)
-
Functional replacement of myostatin with GDF-11 in the germline of mice
Skeletal Muscle (2022)
-
Loss of H3K27me3 imprinting in the Sfmbt2 miRNA cluster causes enlargement of cloned mouse placentas
Nature Communications (2020)
-
Transcriptomic profile of semitendinosus muscle of bulls of different breed and performance
Journal of Applied Genetics (2020)
-
Impact of adipokines and myokines on fat browning
Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry (2020)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.