Citation

Bar-Nur O, Gerli MFM, Di Stefano B, Almada AE, Galvin A, Coffey A, Huebner AJ, Feige P, Verheul C, Cheung P, Payzin-Dogru D, Paisant S, Anselmo A, Sadreyev RI, Ott HC, Tajbakhsh S, Rudnicki MA, Wagers AJ, Hochedlinger K. 2018. Direct Reprogramming of Mouse Fibroblasts into Functional Skeletal Muscle Progenitors. Stem cell reports. 10(5):1505-1521. Pubmed: 29742392 DOI:S2213-6711(18)30177-2

Abstract

Skeletal muscle harbors quiescent stem cells termed satellite cells and proliferative progenitors termed myoblasts, which play pivotal roles during muscle regeneration. However, current technology does not allow permanent capture of these cell populations in vitro. Here, we show that ectopic expression of the myogenic transcription factor MyoD, combined with exposure to small molecules, reprograms mouse fibroblasts into expandable induced myogenic progenitor cells (iMPCs). iMPCs express key skeletal muscle stem and progenitor cell markers including Pax7 and Myf5 and give rise to dystrophin-expressing myofibers upon transplantation in vivo. Notably, a subset of transplanted iMPCs maintain Pax7 expression and sustain serial regenerative responses. Similar to satellite cells, iMPCs originate from Pax7 cells and require Pax7 itself for maintenance. Finally, we show that myogenic progenitor cell lines can be established from muscle tissue following small-molecule exposure alone. This study thus reports on a robust approach to derive expandable myogenic stem/progenitor-like cells from multiple cell types.
Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Amy Wagers seeks to change the way we repair our tissues after an injury. Her research focuses on defining the factors and mechanisms that regulate the migration, expansion, and regenerative potential of adult blood-forming and muscle-forming stem cells.

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