Increased muscle stem cells for treatment of muscular dystrophy, aging muscles and muscular dystrophy
Stem cells are the invisible motors that power tissue growth and repair. Understanding the signals that trigger muscle stem cells into action may reveal new ways to promote growth. These mechanisms are not well understood.
Scientists from Sanford Burnham-Prebys have discovered a molecular pathway that involves Stat3 and Fam3a protein that regulates whether muscle stem cells choose to self-renew, or differentiate. This insight could lead to therapeutics that boost muscle mass for muscular dystrophies, or age-related muscle loss. The study was published by Nature Communications.
Alessandra, Ph.D., associate professor at Sanford Burnham Prebys and senior author of the study, said that muscle stem cells could ‘burn out,’ if they try to regenerate tissues during natural aging or chronic muscle diseases. We believe that we have identified promising drug targets which direct muscle stem cell to’make a right decision’ and encourage muscle repair. This could help muscle tissue regeneration, and maintain tissue function in chronic diseases such as muscular dystrophy or aging.
Source:
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-04-boosting-muscle-stem-cells-muscular.html
