Large-scale Isolation of Human Skeletal Muscle Satellite Cells from Post-Mortem Tissue and Development of Quantitative Assays to Evaluate Modulators of Myogenesis.

During aging, there is a decreased ability to maintain skeletal muscle mass and function (sarcopenia). Such changes in skeletal muscle are also co-morbidities of diseases including cancer, congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The loss of muscle mass results in decreased strength and exercise tolerance and reduced ability to perform daily activities. Pharmacological agents addressing these pathologies could have significant clinical impact, but their identification requires understanding of mechanisms driving myotube formation (myogenesis) and atrophy and provision of relevant assays. The aim of this study was to develop robust in vitro methods to study human myogenesis.