It is known that in both aged and dystrophic muscle, the ability of the satellite cells to renew and regenerate the muscle is compromised. It is not clear whether this is due to the satellite cells themselves or the environment they are in. If the muscle environment plays a role in determining the ability of the satellite cells to repair muscle, then transplanting healthy satellite cells into a patient with a muscular dystrophy may not produce the desired result of repairing the damaged muscle. In this case, additional intervention may be required to “optimise” the muscle environment for regeneration.
Dr Morgan proposes to look at satellite cells from both young and old mice to try and determine what effect, if any, the muscle environment has on the ability of these cells to self renew and to produce new muscle cells. Dr Morgan will investigate if satellite cells can regenerate injured or aged muscle in a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy – the mdx mouse. If the satellite cells do not regenerate as effectively in the aged and injured muscle as they do in young mice, then it is likely that the muscle environment is having an effect on their regenerative capacity. The team will then investigate what factors might be involved in order to find out if the effect can be reversed allowing the cells to regenerate the muscle.
This project will increase the understanding of whether elements of the muscle environment might prevent satellite cells from regenerating muscle. Understanding these elements allows scientists to target them and create an optimum environment in the muscle that would promote regeneration, following a satellite cell transplant.
Project leader: Dr Jenny Morgan
Location: UCL Institute of Child Health
Duration of project: 3 years (starting January 2009)
Total Project Cost: £239,550
Official project title: Factors affecting the self-renewal of mouse satellite cells
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