What is RyR1's role in muscle formation?

Working on a mouse model, researchers from the ‘Cellular Myology and Pathologies’ team led by Isabelle Marty have discovered that the RYR1 protein has more functions than previously thought. While this protein plays a key role in the contraction process of our muscle fibres by controlling cytosolic calcium in the cells, it seems that RyR1 also acts on other cellular processes to influence muscle formation.

"By varying the amount of RyR1, we were able to observe in vitro that these changes affected the differentiation of muscle cells and the formation of myotubes" explains Anne Petiot, a researcher at the GIN and co-author of the study. "Reducing the amount of RyR1 promotes muscle cell differentiation."

But that's not all: RyR1's role as a calcium channel seems to be less important in this differentiation process. "RyR1 has two functions: a function in contraction which is dependent on the calcium released by RyR1, and a function in differentiation which does not depend on the calcium channel activity of RyR1," continues the researcher.

Many myopathies are linked to a mutation in the RYR1 gene and a reduction in the RyR1 protein. Understanding how RyR1 controls muscle formation could therefore help to develop new therapies for these muscle diseases. 
 

RyR1 effect on myotube differentiation is independent of RyR1-mediated calcium release. 

Reference: 
RyR1 Is Involved in the Control of Myogenesis.
Tourel A, Reynaud-Dulaurier R, Brocard J, Fauré J, Marty I, Petiot A.
Cells. 2025 Jan 21;14(3):158. doi: 10.3390/cells14030158.
PMID: 39936950 Free PMC article.