Muscle
Our lab has shown that Hox11 genes (Hoxa11, Hoxd11) are expressed in the muscle connective tissue of the forelimb zeugopod, and that loss of Hox11 genes disrupts muscle patterning during development. We are currently examining whether Hox11 genes also regulate muscle at postnatal and adult stages during homeostasis and in response to injury.
Type 1 myofibers (red) of the soleus muscle in adult mice
Hox11 expressing cells in green are in-between muscle fibers in adult mice
Hoxa11 lineage labeled cells (red) co cultured with muscle stem cells (green) show fusion of Hox11 labeled cells with muscle stem cells to form immature muscle cells