Myostatin Axis
The myostatin axis is the dominant negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass. Myostatin (GDF-8), a TGF-beta family member, signals through ActRIIB on skeletal muscle to inhibit hypertrophy. Follistatin-344 binds and neutralizes myostatin and activin, releasing the brake on muscle growth in animal models. Antagonism of this axis is the basis for several investigational pharmaceutical programs in muscle-wasting disease.
