Primary myogenic cells see the light: improved survival of transplanted myogenic cells following low energy laser irradiation.
OBJECTIVE
There is a substantial need for finding new avenues to promote muscle recovery when acute skeletal muscle loss extends beyond the natural capacity of the muscle to recover. Maintenance and regeneration of skeletal muscles depend mainly on resident stem cells known as satellite cells. Nevertheless, there are situations in which a significant loss of muscle tissue exhausts the satellite cell pool. For such cases, cell therapy and tissue engineering are becoming promising alternatives. Thus far, attempts to supplement damaged host muscles with donor satellite cells by means of myoblast transplantation therapy were mostly unsuccessful due to massive and rapid loss of donor cells within few hours after transplantation. This study aims at following the effects of low-energy-laser irradiation on the fate of implanted myoblasts.


METHODS
Primary myogenic cells, harvested from male rat skeletal muscles, were irradiated with low energy laser, seeded on a biodegradable scaffold and expanded in vitro. The scaffold containing cells was transplanted into partially excised muscles of host female rats. Donor cells were identified in the host muscle tissue, using Y-chromosome in situ hybridization.


RESULTS
In this study, we show that laser irradiated donor primary myogenic cells not only survive, but also fuse with host myoblasts to form a host-donor syncytium.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data show that the use of low energy laser irradiation (LELI), a non-surgical tool, is a promising means to enhance both the survival and functionality of transplanted primary myogenic cells.
Shefer
Gabi
G
Department of Cell & Development Biology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel. gabise@post.tau.ac.il
Ben-Dov
Nadav
N
Halevy
Orna
O
Oron
Uri
U
D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D002459:Cell Fusion; D002470:Cell Survival; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D051381:Rats; D012038:Regeneration
D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free