Satellite cells: the architects of skeletal muscle

Abstract

The outstanding regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle is attributed to the resident muscle stem cell termed satellite cell. Satellite cells are essential for skeletal muscle regeneration as they ultimately provide the myogenic precursors that rebuild damaged muscle tissue. Satellite cells characteristically are a heterogeneous population of stem cells and committed progenitor cells. Delineation of cellular hierarchy and understanding how lineage fate choices are determined within the satellite cell population will be invaluable for the advancement of muscle regenerative therapies.

Keywords: Development; Muscle stem cells; Myogenesis; Pax3; Pax7; Regeneration; Satellite cells; Skeletal muscle; Therapy.