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Updated: May 10, 2026
11:02
Identification and Analysis of Myogenic Progenitors In Vivo During Acute Skeletal Muscle Injury by High-Dimensional Single-Cell Mass Cytometry
Published on: December 1, 2023
Mast cells can regulate skeletal muscle cell proliferation by multiple mechanisms
Elise Duchesne1, Patrice Bouchard, Marie-Pier Roussel
1CHUQ Research Center and Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, RC-9800, Québec, G1V 4G2, Canada.
Muscle & Nerve
|July 2, 2013
Summary
Mast cells (MCs) stimulate muscle cell proliferation through tryptase. In vivo, MCs influence muscle healing by modulating macrophage recruitment, aiding early-stage muscle regeneration.
Area of Science:
- Muscle regeneration
- Cellular immunology
- Tissue repair
Background:
- Mast cells (MCs) are known to stimulate cell proliferation.
- The specific role of mast cells in skeletal muscle regeneration remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the direct and indirect effects of mast cells on skeletal muscle regeneration.
- To determine the role of mast cell-derived tryptase in myoblast proliferation.
- To assess the impact of mast cell modulation on immune cell infiltration and myogenic factor expression in injured muscle.
Main Methods:
- In vitro studies using L6 myoblast co-cultures with mast cells or mast cell-conditioned media.
- In vivo studies in rats with bupivacaine-induced muscle injury, treated with the mast cell stabilizer cromolyn.
- Assessment of myoblast proliferation, immune cell (CD68, CD163) accumulation, and myogenic factors (MyoD, myogenin).
Main Results:
- In vitro, mast cells and their conditioned media significantly increased L6 myoblast proliferation in a tryptase-dependent manner.
- In vivo, mast cell stabilization enhanced myoblast proliferation and the recruitment of CD68 and CD163 positive macrophages post-injury.
- These effects correlated with an increased expression of MyoD and myogenin proteins.
Conclusions:
- Mast cells directly promote muscle cell proliferation via the enzyme tryptase.
- Mast cells indirectly influence in vivo myoblast proliferation primarily through the recruitment and modulation of macrophages.
- Mast cells are significant contributors to the early phases of skeletal muscle healing.
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