Satellite cell function, intramuscular inflammation and exercise in chronic kidney disease

Skeletal muscle wasting is a common feature of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is clinically relevant due to associations with quality of life, physical functioning, mortality and a number of comorbidities. Satellite cells (SCs) are a population of skeletal muscle progenitor cells responsible for accrual and maintenance of muscle mass by providing new nuclei to myofibres. Recent evidence from animal models and human studies indicates CKD may negatively affect SC abundance and function in response to stimuli such as exercise and damage. The aim of this review is to collate recent literature on the effect of CKD on SCs, with a particular focus on the myogenic response to exercise in this population. Exercise is widely recognized as important for the maintenance of healthy skeletal muscle mass and is increasingly advocated in the care of a number of chronic conditions. Therefore a greater understanding of the impact of uraemia upon SCs and the possible altered myogenic response in CKD is required to inform strategies to prevent uraemic cachexia.