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The effects of aging on satellite cells in skeletal muscles of mice and rats

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Summary

Myosatellite cells were examined and quantified at the fine structural level of resolution during aging of skeletal muscles in mice and rats. Satellite cells in the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles of animals between eight and 30 months of age appeared, according to morphological criteria, metabolically less active than those examined in immature muscles. In the soleus muscle of the mouse, satellite cells decreased in number from 4.6% at eight months of age to 2.4% at 30 months. This decrease appeared to be due to the passage of some satellite cells into the interstitial space as a result of the formation of external lamina material around the entire satellite cell surface.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, University of Southern California, School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA

    Mikel H. Snow Ph.D.

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  1. Mikel H. Snow Ph.D.
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Additional information

This study was supported by NIH grant No. 5 S01-RR05356-13

Appreciation is extended to Ms. Amy Erisman and Mr. Monroe Sprague for their excellent technical assistance on this project

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Snow, M.H. The effects of aging on satellite cells in skeletal muscles of mice and rats. Cell Tissue Res. 185, 399–408 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220299

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220299

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