Expression data from skeletal muscle satellite cells at different development stages

Satellite cells are responsible for the long-term regenerative capacity of adult skeletal muscle. The diminished muscle performance and regenerative capacity of aged muscle is thought to reflect progressive fibrosis and atrophy. Whether this reduction in muscle competency also involves a diminishment in the intrinsic regulation of satellite cell self-renewal remains unknown. We used microarray to identify gene expression changes underlying the marked reduction in the capacity of satellite cells to self-renew, contribute to regeneration and repopulate the niche as they age. Skeletal muscles from heterozygous Pax7-ZsGreen mice were isolated at defined stages: E17.5 (fetal - whole forelimb and hindlimb), postnatal day 21 (adolescent - hindlimb), 2-3 month old (adult - hindlimb) and >1 year old (Aged - hindlimb) mice. ZsGreen-positive skeletal muscle satellite cells were isolated by FACS and pooled (fetal n=4, adolescent n=6, adult n=8 and aged n=8 mice).