10月10日,，美國研究人員報告說,，他們以腿部肌肉受傷的年輕實驗鼠為研究對象發(fā)現(xiàn)，植入肌肉干細胞可以使實驗鼠肌肉恢復(fù)得比受傷前更強大,，還可幫助實驗鼠抵御因衰老而導(dǎo)致的肌肉萎縮,。
研究人員植入的肌肉干細胞來自健康的年輕實驗鼠。植入手術(shù)后,，受傷實驗鼠腿部肌肉不僅在幾天內(nèi)得以恢復(fù),，而且這一部位的肌肉質(zhì)量增大為受傷前的1．7倍。研究人員最初認為,，這可能是暫時現(xiàn)象，但他們最終發(fā)現(xiàn),，實驗鼠肌肉終其一生（約為兩年）都保持這一水平,，而且與普通老鼠相比，它們的肌肉更能夠抵御老化過程,，肌肉力量和質(zhì)量能持續(xù)保持,。
研究人員提醒說，他們在實驗中發(fā)現(xiàn),，將肌肉干細胞植入健康實驗鼠不能起到同樣效果,。他們認為，這表明干細胞被植入的環(huán)境非常重要,，不同環(huán)境下,，干細胞反應(yīng)的方式也不一樣。
參與研究的科羅拉多大學(xué)布拉德利·奧爾溫教授表示,，如果這一成果能夠應(yīng)用于人類,，肌肉萎縮癥等疾病就有望找到新療法。研究人員目前已著手進行將人類或大型動物的干細胞植入實驗鼠的實驗,，以驗證是否能收到同樣效果,。
該相關(guān)研究成果發(fā)表在美國《科學(xué)·轉(zhuǎn)化醫(yī)學(xué)》雜志上。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦英文摘要：
Sci Transl Med DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3001081
Prevention of Muscle Aging by Myofiber-Associated Satellite Cell Transplantation
John K. Hall1,*, Glen B. Banks2, Jeffrey S. Chamberlain2 and Bradley B. Olwin1,?
1Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
2Departments of Neurology, Medicine, and Biochemistry, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Skeletal muscle is dynamic, adapting to environmental needs, continuously maintained, and capable of extensive regeneration. These hallmarks diminish with age, resulting in a loss of muscle mass, reduced regenerative capacity, and decreased functionality. Although the mechanisms responsible for this decline are unclear, complex changes within the local and systemic environment that lead to a reduction in regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle stem cells, termed satellite cells, are believed to be responsible. We demonstrate that engraftment of myofiber-associated satellite cells, coupled with an induced muscle injury, markedly alters the environment of young adult host muscle, eliciting a near-lifelong enhancement in muscle mass, stem cell number, and force generation. The abrogation of age-related atrophy appears to arise from an increased regenerative capacity of the donor stem cells, which expand to occupy both myonuclei in myofibers and the satellite cell niche. Further, these cells have extensive self-renewal capabilities, as demonstrated by serial transplantation. These near-lifelong, physiological changes suggest an approach for the amelioration of muscle atrophy and diminished function that arise with aging through myofiber-associated satellite cell transplantation.
