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Description

Skeletal muscle satellite cells are quiescent mononucleated myogenic cells that reside between the sarcolemma and basement membrane of terminally-differentiated muscle fibers. They serve as a reserve population of cells with stem-like properties. The number of satellite cells are shown to be highest in postnatal muscle, but declines with age. In their quiescent stage, satellite cells are rounded and mononucleated, and do not express relevant amounts of myogenic proteins. Also, in their quiescent state they are shown to be c-kit-, Sca-1-, CD34+, and CD45-. Satellite cells can proliferate in response to injury and regenerate muscle and produce more satellite cells. Hence, they have been considered to be the only myogenic source for the maintenance of skeletal muscle. When muscle regeneration is initiated, satellite cells changes from their quiescent state to an active stage and begin to proliferative. They can proliferate and then either fuse with each other to form myotubes, which mature into myofibers, or they can fuse with damaged segments of muscle fibers. (Ref.: Fukuda, S et al. (2004). Exp. Cell Res. 296(2), 245-255, Morgan JE and Partridge, TA (2003). Int. J. Biochem. Cell Biol. 35(8), 1151 1156).