在小鼠中的一則新的研究報告指出，用干細胞來增加年輕的肌肉可減緩與年齡老化相關的肌無力的進程,。 這些發(fā)現(xiàn)可能會導致再生性肌肉療法的出現(xiàn),，這種療法也許會對罹患肌營養(yǎng)不良癥的病人或是那些虛弱的老年人有幫助。 文章的作者提出,，如果科學家們能夠發(fā)現(xiàn)可刺激肌肉中干細胞的小分子或分子組合（這可能會比將干細胞移植到人體內(nèi)要更容易些）,，那么這些分子可被用于增進肌肉修復或減少肌肉喪失。 在成年期,，損傷后或疾病后肌肉再生主要是靠衛(wèi)星細胞,，這是一種會分裂并參與修復、重新恢復活力和控制骨骼肌組織的干細胞,，它可通過發(fā)育成為肌肉細胞而令肌肉生長,。
Bradley Olwin及其同事在這里利用了干細胞的能力并防止了在幼小的小鼠中某一單一肌肉的與年齡老化有關的消瘦。 在該研究中,，研究人員將少數(shù)的干細胞移植到肌肉受傷的幼小小鼠體內(nèi),。 該研究小組在兩年后對這些小鼠進行檢查時發(fā)現(xiàn)，這種手術永久性地改變了移植的細胞,，使得它們能夠抵抗肌肉中的老化過程,。 明確地說，這些移植的細胞能夠控制它們所在的肌肉并與肌肉融合以形成新的肌肉纖維,。 盡管人們對這一過程的機制還不了解,，但這些發(fā)現(xiàn)提示，通過模仿這些移植的干細胞的功效,，科學家們也許能夠防止肌肉功能和重量的喪失,，而這些通常是在人類老化時出現(xiàn)的情況。（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.
