CAV3 and Qualitative or quantitative defects of caveolin-3: Caveolin-3 (CAV3) is the main caveolar protein in skeletal muscle and is a key factor in muscle cell fusion, and several mutations in the CAV3 gene cause heterogeneous neuromuscular diseases including caveolinopathies such as LGMD1 (limb girdle muscular dystrophy) [47], [48].