Role of skeletal muscle mesenchymal progenitors in bone regeneration

Céline Colnot

DR2 INSERM Research Director at the Henri Mondor Institute for Biomedical Research

Skeletal muscle and bone exhibit great capacities to regenerate due to tissue-specific stem cells, i.e. satellite cells and skeletal stem cells from periosteum and bone marrow. However, bone fails to heal properly in 10% of bone injuries and delayed healing is increased to 40% in patients with soft tissue damage associated with bone fracture. The role of skeletal muscle in bone repair is well recognized clinically but the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Muscle regulates the inflammatory environment of fracture and muscle satellite cells are providing a source of growth factors for bone repair.