Retained differentiation capacity of human skeletal muscle satellite cells from spinal cord-injured individuals

Physiol Rep, 2018 · DOI: 10.14814/phy2.13739 · Published: June 1, 2018

Spinal Cord Injury Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cells Musculoskeletal Medicine

Simple Explanation

This study investigates the impact of spinal cord injury on the ability of satellite cells, which are crucial for muscle repair and growth, to develop into healthy muscle cells. Muscle biopsies were taken from individuals with spinal cord injuries and able-bodied individuals to isolate and grow satellite cells in a lab environment, examining their capacity to differentiate into myotubes, a type of muscle cell. The findings suggest that satellite cells from individuals with spinal cord injuries retain their ability to differentiate and form metabolically healthy muscle cells, indicating that the potential for muscle repair is preserved despite the injury.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

8 spinal cord-injured and 6 able-bodied individuals

Evidence Level

Original Research

Key Findings

1
Satellite cells from spinal cord-injured individuals retain the capacity to differentiate into myotubes.
2
Myotubes derived from satellite cells of spinal cord-injured individuals show comparable metabolic characteristics to those from able-bodied individuals, with no significant differences in protein synthesis or fatty acid oxidation.
3
Myotubes from spinal cord-injured individuals displayed higher protein abundance of MHC II, whereas MHC I tended to be increased.

Research Summary

The study aimed to determine if spinal cord injury affects the intrinsic ability of satellite cells to differentiate and produce metabolically healthy myotubes. The results indicate that the intrinsic differentiation capacity of satellite cells and metabolic characteristics of myotubes are preserved following spinal cord injury. This may inform potential interventions targeting satellite cell activation to alleviate skeletal muscle atrophy.

Practical Implications

Targeted Interventions

The retained differentiation capacity of satellite cells suggests that interventions aimed at activating these cells could be effective in combating muscle atrophy in individuals with spinal cord injuries.

Electrical Stimulation Potential

Electrical stimulation, especially when coupled with exercise, could be a viable method for activating satellite cells and improving muscle characteristics in spinal cord-injured individuals.

In Vitro Studies

Further in vitro studies analyzing the response to electrical pulse stimulation could reveal the full extent of functionality of myotubes and inform specialized interventions for satellite cell activation.

Study Limitations

1
The relatively low number of participants (n = 6–8) may limit the detection of subtle changes.
2
The spinal-cord injury group consisted of participants with both incomplete and complete spinal-cord injury.
3
Formal assessment of satellite cell purity during isolation was not performed.

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