Description
C2C12 cells are an immortalized mouse myoblast cell line commonly used in biomedical research. These cells were initially obtained from the thigh muscle of a 2-month-old regular mouse and were developed for in vitro studies of myoblasts to isolate complex interactions of in vivo conditions. C2C12 cells can rapidly proliferate under high serum conditions and can differentiate into myotubes, the precursors of contractile skeletal muscle cells, under low serum conditions or starvation. One of the significant advantages of C2C12 cells is their ability to incorporate exogenous cDNA and nucleic acids through transfection. This has made these cells a popular choice in gene expression studies and enabled researchers to study the differentiation of myoblasts, osteoblasts, and myogenesis and explore various biochemical pathways. C2C12 cells can undergo rapid development and maturation into functional skeletal muscle cells. These cells can differentiate by replacing growth media with differentiation media, forming fused cells within 24 hours. Myogenic markers such as Myf5, MyoD, Myogenin, Mrf4, and muscle-specific markers such as Csrp3, Hes6, Mef2a, and Mef2d are indicative of C2C12 cell differentiation. The gene C6ORF32 is upregulated during the differentiation process and may play a role in myogenic cells migration toward the fusion site. The wild-type C2C12 cells have a radial branching morphology consisting of long fibers extending in many directions. The growth patterns of these cells can be altered by introducing adhesion molecules and other factors that can affect the cytoskeleton and shape of the cells. The scaffolding of C2C12 cells is significant for studying muscle tissue regeneration after injury or in cases of tissue wasting due to disease or intensive care unit rehabilitation. In conclusion, C2C12 cells are an essential tool for biomedical research and have been used to study a wide range of biological processes, including muscle formation, differentiation, and gene expression