FISH Detection of X and Y Chromosomes in Combination with Immunofluorescence to Study Contribution of Transplanted Cells to Skeletal Muscle Fibers

Abstract

During the past decades, several studies in animals have displayed the ability of cells from the bone marrow (BM) to participate in regeneration of various tissues including skeletal muscle tissue. Studies in mice have demonstrated that regular physical activity is sufficient to induce contribution of BM derived cells to the skeletal muscle tissue, suggesting that this is part of the physiological remodeling of skeletal muscle. To analyze whether BM-derived cells participate in skeletal muscle remodeling in human, we developed a protocol of immunofluorescence in combination with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) that enables the detection of male donor bone marrow cell contribution to female skeletal muscle tissue.