Meeting Abstract

P2.59  Thursday, Jan. 5  Isolation of Anolis carolinensis satellite cells and examination of their differentiation potential. GEORGE, R; HUTCHINS, E; ECKALBAR, WL; KUSUMI, K; RAWLS, JA; WILSON-RAWLS, J*; Arizona State University; Arizona State University; Arizona State University; Arizona State University; Arizona State University; Arizona State University Jeanne.Wilson-Rawls@asu.edu

The anole lizards are the closest vertebrates to humans that demonstrate the ability to regenerate cartilage, muscle and nervous tissue. We wanted to investigate whether the muscle from these lizards had satellite cells, an adult stem cell population responsible for the repair and growth of skeletal muscle, and if these cells were multipotent. We have isolated a cell population from A. carolinensis muscle and demonstrated that they will differentiate into multinucleated myotubes that express the muscle structural protein myosin heavy chain. Further, RT-PCR analysis of these cells demonstrated that they express genes that are consistent with satellite cells derived from mammals. Subsequent experiments demonstrated that these cells can be induced to differentiate into cartilage and bone without the need for exogenous factors such as bone morphogenic proteins being added to the culture medium. RT-PCR analysis of these cells demonstrated the expression of bone and cartilage specific genes.