Figure 1.

The effects of the cross talk between adipose and muscle cells. In an adipose-muscle cells co-culture, myostatin increases and activates Smad3, which blocks the activity of MyoD and the activation of myogenin (MyoG). Simultaneously, myostatin activates Atrogin1 and MurF-1, triggering proteolysis of muscle proteins. Moreover, adiponectin and C/EBP α, which are important factors of the (PPARγ) pathway, get activated and start adipogenic processes. The final effect of this cross talk is the impairment of myogenesis and a triggered adipogenesis.