Myoblast preparation for transplantation into injured myocardium
1 Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Strzeszy
ska 32, 60-479 Poznan, Poland
2 Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, MA, USA
* Corresponding author. Tel: +48 6579 202; fax: +48 8233 235.E-mail address: kurpimac{at}man.poznan.pl
Skeletal muscle stem cells are defined as the quiescent mononucleated cells localized outside the sarcolemma but within the basal lamina of muscle fibre. Extensive research on myoblasts revealed considerable diversity within this population: side population (SP), muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs), and satellite cells (myoblasts). These cells possess different phenotypes and unique plasticity. In order to isolate single population, numerous techniques were developed; this includes fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) sorting and pre-plating. Because all clinical trials based on skeletal muscle-derived cells involved myoblast population, more detailed attention has been focused on their expression profiling. These studies have provided the list of gene clusters which express remarkable changes upon differentiation.
Owing to the myoblasts accessibility, their autologous origin, ease of their isolation, and in vitro expansion, these cells have gradually become one of the major tools for ex vivo therapy. The major limitation of the myoblast therapy is poor survival of cells. In this context, the isolation and identification of MDSCs in animals triggered a new hope in the field of myopathies treatment.
Although MDSCs give new possibilities for cell therapy, it is clear that taking MDSCs into the clinics requires more detailed understanding of the signals that govern their behaviour and fate.
Key Words: Satellite cells • Myoblasts • Heart regeneration