title: Induction of Acute Skeletal Muscle Regeneration by Cardiotoxin Injection.
abstract: Skeletal muscle regeneration is a physiological process that occurs in adult skeletal muscles in response to injury or disease. Acute injury-induced skeletal muscle regeneration is a widely used, powerful model system to study the events involved in muscle regeneration as well as the mechanisms and different players. Indeed, a detailed knowledge of this process is essential for a better understanding of the pathological conditions that lead to skeletal muscle degeneration, and it aids in identifying new targeted therapeutic strategies. The present work describes a detailed and reproducible protocol to induce acute skeletal muscle regeneration in mice through a single intramuscular injection of cardiotoxin (CTX). CTX belongs to the family of snake venom toxins and causes myolysis of myofibers, which eventually triggers the regeneration events. The dynamics of skeletal muscle regeneration is evaluated by histological analysis of muscle sections. The protocol also illustrates the experimental procedures for dissecting, freezing, and cutting the Tibialis Anterior muscle, as well as the routine Hematoxylin & Eosin staining that is widely used for subsequent morphological and morphometric analysis.
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell Fate Laboratory, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "A. Buzzati Traverso", CNR; ombretta.guardiola@igb.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Ombretta
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Guardiola
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell Fate Laboratory, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "A. Buzzati Traverso", CNR.
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Andolfi
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca; Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, San Raffaele Scientific Institute.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tirone
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell Fate Laboratory, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "A. Buzzati Traverso", CNR.
authors.forename: Francescopaolo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Iavarone
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brunelli
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell Fate Laboratory, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "A. Buzzati Traverso", CNR.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Minchiotti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054715:Cardiotoxins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D051379:Mice; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009133:Muscular Atrophy; D012038:Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D054715:Cardiotoxins