Mechanisms of skeletal muscle repair and satellite cell regulation

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Skeletal muscle displays incredible complexity and is comprised of many diverse cell types including muscle fibers, vasculature, stroma and neural cells. This cellular multiplicity endows muscle tissue with significant plasticity and the ability to remodel these cellular constituents in response to varied forms of muscle contraction. Additionally, skeletal muscle is one of the few adult organs with the remarkable ability to regenerate de novo tissue following trauma or strenuous muscle contraction. As muscle fibers are terminally differentiated (and not capable of cell division), this process is accomplished, at least in part, by the activity of muscle resident stem cells termed “satellite cells” (SCs). SCs respond to contraction or myotrauma by enhancing their activity through cell proliferation and ultimately fuse with existing muscle fibres to supply nuclei capable of synthesizing or repairing damaged muscle proteins. However, our understanding of the factors that influence SCs and their relationship to muscle physiology is incomplete, especially in human muscle.