PAX7 and inflammatory response: Similarly, mRNA transcript levels of Myomaker, Myogenin, and Pax7, which represent markers of myogenic fusion, late differentiation and satellite cell number21–25, were also slightly increased in emphysematous compared to normal mice following LPS-treatment (Fig. 7b,c,e), while MyoD expression was already altered in emphysematous mice prior to pulmonary inflammation (Fig. 7d).