Transplantation of primary satellite cells improves properties of reinnervated skeletal muscles

Abstract

Skeletal muscle demonstrates a force deficit after repair of injured peripheral nerves. We tested the hypothesis that transplantation of satellite cells into reinnervated rabbit tibialis anterior (TA) muscles improves their properties. Adult rabbits underwent transection and immediate suture of the common peroneal nerve. In order to provide an environment favorable for cell transplantation, TA were then made to degenerate by cardiotoxin injection, either immediately or after a 2-month delay, which is sufficient for muscle reinnervation. In both cases, the injured TA were transplanted with cultured satellite cells 5 days after induction of muscle degeneration. When cells were transferred immediately after nerve repair, drastic morphological and functional muscle alterations were observed. However, when the muscles were allowed to become reinnervated before cell transplantation, muscles were heavier and developed a significantly higher maximal force compared to denervated-reinnervated muscles. Thus, application of the cell therapy protocol improved properties of denervated muscles only when they were allowed to become innervated. These results, which represent the application of cell therapy to improve force recovery of reinnervated muscles, will be of significant interest in certain clinical contexts, particularly after immediate or delayed muscle reinnervation.

Local injection of autologous bone marrow cells to regenerate muscle in patients with traumatic brachial plexus injury

“…19 However, poor cellular survival and limited cell dissemination hampers successful satellite cell transplantation. Furthermore, only few cells fuse with host fibres.…”

Modulation of satellite cells in rat facial muscle following denervation and delayed reinnervation

“…On the other hand, long-lasting denervation impaired the regenerative capacity of facial muscles, which may be due to the deterioration of SCs, in accordance with the evidence discussed above. Application of SC therapy to improve functional recovery of reinnervated muscles also directly reflects the importance of SCs as original seeds for muscle regeneration [15]. These results strengthen the suggestion that better outcomes of reinnervation could be achieved within a certain period after facial nerve injury.…”

Using wavelet analysis to reveal the muscle functional recovery following nerve reinnervation in a rat model

“…For amputees after TMR surgery, the muscles need time a long time to reinnervate and heal [12]. Moreover, it was reported in animal experiments that cell therapy or Chondroitinase ABC can reduce muscle innervation time and improves functional recovery [13][14]. Since the success of the TMR technique depends on the sufficient EMG information produced by the reinnverated muscle, these advances in neuroscience may benefit TMR surgery candidates.…”