Immuno-analysis and FACS sorting of adult muscle fiber-associated stem/precursor cells.

We describe the immunostaining methods we commonly use to detect the more robust cell markers identifying the various cell populations obtained by the enzymatic and or mechanical dissociation of muscle satellite cells: CD34, m-Cadherin, and Pax7, self-renewing muscle stem cells expressing CXCR4 and beta1-integrin, populations of proliferative myogenic progenitor cells expressing, Pax3, Pax7, Myf5, MyoD1, and desmin, differentiating myoblasts expressing myogenin and eMHC, and the CD45 expressing leukocyte lineage cells that infiltrate injured and regenerating skeletal muscle.