The finding shows that, by targeting stem cells to boost their numbers, we can improve the body’s ability to repair muscle tissue, senior author Dr. Michael Rudnicki was reported saying.

Rudnicki is the scientific director of Canada’s Stem Cell Network and a professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa.

Satellite stem cells are specialized muscle stem cells that live in adult skeletal muscle tissue and have the ability to both replicate and differentiate into various types of muscle cells.

Rudnicki’s team found that the Wnt7a protein, when introduced into mouse muscle tissue, significantly increased the population of these satellite stem cells and  increased the regeneration process, creating bigger and stronger muscles which led to 20 per cent in the muscle tissue.

The study has important bearing on possible development of new treatment for muscular diseases such as muscular dystrophy and other conditions that result in wasting of muscles.