Satellite cells delivered by micro-patterned scaffolds: a new strategy for cell transplantation in muscle diseases

Myoblast transplantation is a potentially useful therapeutic tool in muscle diseases, but the lack of an efficient delivery system has hampered its application. Here we have combined cell biology and polymer processing to create an appropriate microenvironment for in vivo transplantation of murine satellite cells (mSCs). Cells were prepared from single muscle fibers derived from C57BL/6-Tgn enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic mice. mSCs were expanded and seeded within micro-patterned polyglycolic acid 3-dimensional scaffolds fabricated using soft lithography and thermal membrane lamination. Myogenicity was then evaluated in vitro using immunostaining, flow cytometry, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analyses. Scaffolds containing mSCs were implanted in pre-damaged tibialis anterior muscles of GFP-negative syngenic mice. Cells detached from culture dishes were directly injected into contra-lateral limbs as controls. In both cases, delivered cells participated in muscle regeneration, although scaffold-implanted muscles showed a much higher number of GFP-positive fibers in CD57 mice. These findings suggest that implantation of cellularized scaffolds is better than direct injection for delivering myogenic cells into regenerating skeletal muscle.