Myofibers cultured in viscoelastic hydrogels reveal the effects of integrin-binding and mechanosensing on muscle satellite cells.

ABSTRACT: Quiescent skeletal muscle satellite cells (SCs) located on myofibers activate in response to muscle injury to regenerate muscle; however, identifying the role of specific matrix signals on SC behavior in vivo is difficult. Therefore, we developed a viscoelastic hydrogel with tunable properties to encapsulate myofibers while maintaining stem cell niche polarity and SC-myofiber interactions to investigate how matrix signals, including viscoelasticity and the integrin-binding ligand arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid (RGD), influence SC behavior during muscle regeneration. Viscoelastic hydrogels support myofiber culture while preserving SC stemness for up to 72 hours post-encapsulation, minimizing myofiber hypercontraction and SC hyperproliferation compared to Matrigel. Pax7 is continuously express

SUBMITTER: Chang TL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11949280 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature