Myo/Nog cells are nonprofessional phagocytes.

Jacquelyn Gerhart,Mindy George-Weinstein,Olivia Gerhart,John Spikes,Keith Mathers,Karanveer Johal,Paul Lecker,Fathma Abdalla,Jake Bernstein,Mark Martin,Lindsay Gugerty,Arturo Bravo-Nuevo,Colby Gerhart,Eric A Shelden

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0235898

Jacquelyn Gerhart, Mindy George-Weinstein + Show 12 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0235898

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Journal: PloS one	Publication Date: Aug 24, 2020
Citations: 4	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Abstract

Myo/Nog cells were discovered in the chick embryo epiblast. Their expression of MyoD reflects a commitment to the skeletal muscle lineage and capacity to differentiate into myofibroblasts. Release of Noggin by Myo/Nog cells is essential for normal morphogenesis. Myo/Nog cells rapidly respond to wounding in the skin and eyes. In this report, we present evidence suggesting that Myo/Nog cells phagocytose tattoo ink in tissue sections of human skin and engulf cell corpses in cultures of anterior human lens tissue and magnetic beads injected into the anterior chamber of mice in vivo. Myo/Nog cells are distinct from macrophages in the skin and eyes indicated by the absence of labeling with an antibody to ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1. In addition to their primary roles as regulators of BMP signaling and progenitors of myofibroblasts, Myo/Nog cells behave as nonprofessional phagocytes defined as cells whose primary functions are unrelated to phagocytosis but are capable of engulfment.

Highlights

Myo/Nog cells were discovered in the chick embryo blastocyst by their expression of the skeletal muscle specific transcription factor MyoD and Noggin, an inhibitor of bone morphogenetic proteins [1, 2]
While Myo/Nog cells are capable of forming myofibers in vitro, their primary role during skeletal muscle formation in the early embryo is to regulate the onset of differentiation via release of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) inhibitor Noggin [3,4,5,6]
We previously reported that Myo/Nog cells expressing G8, Noggin and MyoD mRNA were associated with the hair follicles, rapidly responded to epidermal abrasion and home to skin tumors [20]

Summary

Introduction

Myo/Nog cells were discovered in the chick embryo blastocyst by their expression of the skeletal muscle specific transcription factor MyoD and Noggin, an inhibitor of bone morphogenetic proteins [1, 2]. The subpopulation of approximately 10 Myo/Nog cells in the epiblast expands as they become incorporated into all three germ layers [3, 4]. Later in development, they are found in low numbers in multiple organ systems [5].

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