GDF-8
Myostatin (protein)
Growth differentiation factor-8, or myostatin, a TGF-beta family protein made mainly in skeletal muscle that negatively regulates muscle growth.
Evidence level. Evidence comes mainly from animal or other preclinical models. About the badges
- Class
- Myostatin (protein)
- Category
- Muscle & Growth Factors
- Type
- Single compound
- Development and regulatory status
- Not approved; research protein (endogenous myostatin)
What researchers study
Growth differentiation factor-8, better known as myostatin, is a TGF-beta family protein made mainly in skeletal muscle that acts as a negative regulator of muscle growth. It signals through activin receptor type IIB.
Research areas
- Myostatin signalling and muscle-atrophy models
- Muscle hyperplasia and hypertrophy in knockout animals
- Bone cell differentiation and signalling
- Reproductive-tissue expression studies
Reported findings
Summaries of published results. Each one is tagged with the type of study behind it. They describe research outcomes and are not claims about any product. Why study type matters.
- rodent
Mice lacking GDF-8 were significantly larger, with individual muscles weighing 2 to 3 times more than wild-type, from a combination of cell hyperplasia and hypertrophy
- review
In vitro, myostatin inhibits osteoblast differentiation and stimulates osteoclast activity, and myostatin-deficient mice show greater cortical thickness and vertebral bone density
- review
Myostatin is expressed in the ovary, placenta and uterus and has been linked to follicular development and steroidogenesis
Studied alongside
Compounds that appear together in research because their mechanisms complement each other, or as comparators. The reasons given are research reasoning, not recommendations for use.
- Follistatin 344binds and neutralises myostatin in muscle-mass models
- ACE-031ActRIIB decoy that traps myostatin and related ligands
- IGF-1 LR3opposing anabolic pathway studied in muscle models
