Skeletal Muscle Satellite Cell Physiology and Function: Complimentary In Vitro and In Vivo Models and Methods

Skeletal muscle is a highly adaptable tissue, displaying features of hypertrophy (growth) and atrophy (loss), as a result of both internal and external stimuli. The mechanisms underpinning skeletal muscle adaptation have featured heavily in research for almost two centuries. Since the discovery of the skeletal muscle satellite/stem cell in the early 1960s, the function of these cells has been extensively studied, both in vivo and in vitro. For the purposes of this chapter and to facilitate such research, we detail methods relating to satellite cell study both in vitro (from biopsy harvest to cell culture) and in vivo (from biopsy harvest to immunohistochemistry). Methods relating to exercise adaptation in terms of stretch and load, as well as electrical stimulation, are also detailed in an in vitro cell model. Investigating the behavior of the versatile skeletal muscle satellite cell, in diverse (in vitro and in vivo) models, is fundamental to furthering our understanding of skeletal muscle adaptation.