Homeostasis of satellite cells during aging

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Julia Freiin von Maltzahn
• Subject Area: Developmental Biology
• Term: from 2013 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 234255054

Skeletal muscle serves a multitude of functions in the organism including voluntary locomotion and exhibits a remarkable ability to adapt to physiological demands. Satellite cells are the stem cells of skeletal muscle and are associated with its growth, maintenance and regeneration. Aged skeletal muscle shows a significantly impaired regenerative potential. Evidence in the literature suggests that functionality of satellite cells in aged skeletal muscle is impaired due to the aged environment, but also due to intrinsic differences between adult and aged satellite cells. We propose to investigate the intrinsic differences between adult and aged satellite cells, especially the satellite stem cell subpopulation. This work will provide insights into pathways that are perturbed in aged satellite cells and allow for modification of these pathways thereby rejuvenating aged muscle. Furthermore we suggest that the aged satellite stem cell population fails to activate and differentiate in aged muscle. We will investigate the fate of this particular stem cell population, which has been shown to control the total satellite cell pool. We speculate that polarity is lost in aged satellite stem cells and will investigate this by using cultures of single myofibers with their associated satellite cells. Lastly we will perform a screen to find factors which can normalize satellite cell function in the aged and thereby counteract sarcopenia.

• DFG Programme: Independent Junior Research Groups