Abstract
Skeletal muscle is a highly dynamic and plastic tissue, able to modify its intrinsic size or strength following electric impulse, mechanical loading, or diet. Several muscular dystrophic disorders have been characterized but the development of therapies, although promising, is still at an early phase. Muscle dysfunction is not restricted to dystrophic patients; during aging, there is a gradual loss of muscle function that results in a significant negative impact on the individual's health, increasing fall and lesion risks, loss of mobility and independence, and associated elevation of morbidity and mortality. This loss of muscle has an estimated prevalence between 5 and 13% among 60–70 year old individuals, increasing to 11–50% in those over the age of 80 (Morley, 2008). According to the WHO, the expected number of individuals over 65 years old by the year 2050 will be around 1.5 billion (WHO, 2015); by extrapolation, this suggests that over 150 million patients will suffer from muscle wasting disorders associated with aging. The vertiginous development of the stem cell therapy and cellular reprogramming fields will eventually result in the emergence of cell replacement therapies to treat a wide range of pathologies. In skeletal muscle, the satellite cell—long regarded as a heterogeneous cell population—is intimately linked to muscle physiology and regeneration processes (Chang and Rudnicki, 2014; Dayanidhi and Lieber, 2014; Snijders et al.). The activation of these muscle-specific stem cells is essential for injury healing, maintenance of muscle strength and tone, and delayed onset of age-related sarcopenia. In this issue, eight review and eight original research articles on this Research Topic summarize recent progress and current challenges of the muscle biology field in aging and disease.
Highlights
Skeletal muscle is a highly dynamic and plastic tissue, able to modify its intrinsic size or strength following electric impulse, mechanical loading, or diet
The satellite cell—long regarded as a heterogeneous cell population—is intimately linked to muscle physiology and regeneration processes (Chang and Rudnicki, 2014; Dayanidhi and Lieber, 2014; Snijders et al.). The activation of these muscle-specific stem cells is essential for injury healing, maintenance of muscle strength and tone, and delayed onset of age-related sarcopenia
Stem cells have a key role during the sequential stages of embryonic muscle development, as demonstrated through many decades of work using a multitude of animal models (Brand Saberi, 2015)
Summary
Role of Stem Cells in Skeletal Muscle Development, Regeneration, Repair, Aging, and Disease. Muscle dysfunction is not restricted to dystrophic patients; during aging, there is a gradual loss of muscle function that results in a significant negative impact on the individual’s health, increasing fall and lesion risks, loss of mobility and independence, and associated elevation of morbidity and mortality This loss of muscle has an estimated prevalence between 5 and 13% among 60–70 year old individuals, increasing to 11–50% in those over the age of 80 (Morley, 2008). The satellite cell—long regarded as a heterogeneous cell population—is intimately linked to muscle physiology and regeneration processes (Chang and Rudnicki, 2014; Dayanidhi and Lieber, 2014; Snijders et al.) The activation of these muscle-specific stem cells is essential for injury healing, maintenance of muscle strength and tone, and delayed onset of age-related sarcopenia. Eight review and eight original research articles on this Research Topic summarize recent progress and current challenges of the muscle biology field in aging and disease
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call