Invited review: Stem cells and muscle diseases: advances in cell therapy strategies

Despite considerable progress to increase our understanding of muscle genetics, pathophysiology, molecular and cellular partners involved in muscular dystrophies and muscle ageing, there is still a crucial need for effective treatments to counteract muscle degeneration and muscle wasting in such conditions. This review focuses on cell-based therapy for muscle diseases. We give an overview of the different parameters that have to be taken into account in such a therapeutic strategy, including the influence of muscle ageing, cell proliferation and migration capacities, as well as the translation of preclinical results in rodent into human clinical approaches. We describe recent advances in different types of human myogenic stem cells, with a particular emphasis on myoblasts but also on other candidate cells described so far [CD133+ cells, aldehyde dehydrogenase-positive cells (ALDH+), muscle-derived stem cells (MuStem), embryonic stem cells (ES) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS)]. Finally, we provide an update of ongoing clinical trials using cell therapy strategies.