The cell adhesion molecule M-cadherin is specifically expressed in developing and regenerating, but not denervated skeletal muscle.

The spatiotemporal distribution of M-cadherin mRNA has been determined by in situ hybridization in the mouse embryo and in adult skeletal muscle following experimental regeneration and denervation. M-cadherin mRNA is highly tissue specific and is found only in developing skeletal muscle. In contrast, N-cadherin mRNA has a broader tissue distribution in the embryo, being found on both neural elements and skeletal and cardiac muscle. M-cadherin is expressed in the myotomes shortly after they form, along with the myogenic regulatory factor myogenin. M-cadherin is expressed in muscles derived from the myotomes and is detected in forelimb bud precursor cells at embryonic day 11.5. In the latter case M-cadherin expression appears co-ordinately with that of myogenin and cardiac alpha-actin. Shortly before birth, M-cadherin expression is down regulated. M-cadherin can, however, be re-expressed following experimental regeneration of skeletal muscle. Here M-cadherin is transiently expressed on regenerating myoblasts but not myotubes. Following muscle denervation no evidence was found for re-expression of M-cadherin under conditions where there was strong expression of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor on myofibres. The highly specific tissue distribution and unique developmental profile distinguishes M-cadherin from other cadherins and suggests a role in cell surface events during early myogenesis.