Skeletal muscle satellite stem cells at different postmortem intervals

M. Ceausu, S. Hostiuc, D. Dermengiu

Abstract: Skeletal muscle satellite stem cells are difficult to isolate, have a low proliferative capacity and lose in vivo regenerative potential upon ex vivo expansion. A recent study by Latil et al. suggested that viable and functional skeletal myogenic cells from humans could be obtained up to 17 days postmortem. The purpose of this study is to see up to which day these SCs can be identified in human autopsy samples from uncontrolled environments, and to better characterize these cells immunohistochemically at different postmortem intervals. Materials and methods: histologically normal samples of skeletal striated muscle were obtained from 4 cadavers after autopsy; the tissue specimens were fixed in formalin at different intervals post-mortem (1 day, 2 days, 6 days and 8 days). We used various histochemistry stains (PTAH, PAS, and May Grunwald Giemsa) and immunohistochemistry markers (CD56 / N-CAM, CD117 / c-kit and CD34). Results. Satellite stem cells were identified up to six days post-mortem; their characteristics varied depending on the post-mortem interval. In conclusion, our study suggests that satellite stem cells can be identified up to six days after the estimated moment of death in uncontrolled environments. A positive reaction for CD117/c-kit is suggestive for SCs, contrary to recent studies that considered them to be negative for this marker.
Keywords: satellite cell, N-CAM, regeneration, skeletal muscle.