The cellular turnover required for skeletal muscle maintenance and repair is mediated by resident stem cells, also termed satellite cells. Satellite cells normally reside in a quiescent state, intermittently entering the cell cycle to fuse with neighboring myofibers and replenish the stem cell pool. However, the mechanisms by which satellite cells maintain the precise balance between self-renewal and differentiation necessary for long-term homeostasis remain unclear. Recent work has supported a previously unappreciated heterogeneity in the satellite cell compartment that may underlie the observed variability in cell fate and function. In this review, we examine the work supporting this notion as well as the potential governing principles, developmental origins, and principal determinants of satellite cell heterogeneity.
Keywords: plasticity; satellite cells; skeletal muscle; stem cell heterogeneity.
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