biostudies-literatureUnknown12Dohi KCell therapy of skeletal muscles is a promising approach for the prevention of muscular diseases and age-related muscle atrophy. However, cell transplantation to treat muscle atrophy that does not involve disease, such as sarcopenia, is considered impossible because externally injected cells rarely engraft into non-injured muscle tissue. Additionally, skeletal muscle-specific somatic stem cells, called satellite cells, lose their ability to adhere to tissue after being cultured <i>in vitro</i> and transforming into myoblasts. To overcome these hurdles, we explored using extracellular matrix (ECM) components to create a niche environment conducive for myoblasts during transplantation. We demonstrated that myoblasts mixed with ECM components can be engrafted into intact skeletal muscle and sFrontiers in cell and developmental biology1502332https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11772487biostudies-literatureAchieving myoblast engraftment into intact skeletal muscle via extracellular matrix.PMC11772487Dohi KManabe YFujii NLFuruichi YfalseAchieving myoblast engraftment into intact skeletal muscle via extracellular matrix.Cell therapy of skeletal muscles is a promising approach for the prevention of muscular diseases and age-related muscle atrophy. However, cell transplantation to treat muscle atrophy that does not involve disease, such as sarcopenia, is considered impossible because externally injected cells rarely engraft into non-injured muscle tissue. Additionally, skeletal muscle-specific somatic stem cells, called satellite cells, lose their ability to adhere to tissue after being cultured <i>in vitro</i> and transforming into myoblasts. To overcome these hurdles, we explored using extracellular matrix (ECM) components to create a niche environment conducive for myoblasts during transplantation. We demonstrated that myoblasts mixed with ECM components can be engrafted into intact skeletal muscle and s2024-01-01T00:00:00Z20242025-04-04T23:12:07.447Z2025-04-04T23:12:07.447ZS-EPMC117724873987715810.3389/fcell.2024.1502332