In this study, Fabio Rossi and colleagues at the University of British Columbia have identified new potential targets for the treatment of muscle diseases such as muscular dystrophy and fibrosis. They describe a new subpopulation of fibro/adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) that generate ectopic white fat when transplanted (subcutaneously or intramuscularly) into damaged muscles in mice, but not in healthy muscle. This indicates that the environment controls their engraftment. Once activated by injury, these cells, which are typically quiescent in muscle, proliferate efficiently in the regeneration process. In chronic muscle diseases such as muscular dystrophy, however, FAPs persist and possibly contribute to fibrosis. In the long term, drugs targeting these cells may be useful in a range of diseases characterized by fibrosis. Furthermore, the cells' ability to generate new fat tissue could be exploited to target metabolic disease.
Muscle injury activates resident fibro/adipogenic progenitors that facilitate myogenesis.
Nat Cell Biol. 2010 Feb;12(2):153-63. Epub 2010 Jan 17.
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