Is muscle regeneration possible in mdx mice with the use of induced mesenchymal stem cells?
Purified induced mesenchymal stem cells (iMSCs) display fibroblast-like morphology, form three-dimensional spheroid structures, express characteristic mesenchymal stem cell surface markers such as CD29, CD33, CD73, CD90, and CD105, and are capable of differentiating into adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic lineages. Transplantation of iMSC cells to tibialis anterior skeletal muscle tissue in mdx mice lowers oxidative damage, and restores the expression levels of normal dystrophin, leading to skeletal muscle regeneration.