Inhibition of MMP-9 enhances satellite cell population in skeletal muscle of mdx mice.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Representative photomicrograph of TA muscle section from 8-week old mdx;Mmp9^+/+ and mdx;Mmp9^+/− stained for Pax7 and DAPI. Arrows point to Pax7⁺ satellite cells. Scale bar: 50 µm. (<b>B</b>) Quantification of relative number of Pax7⁺ cells per myofiber in TA muscle sections from 8-week old mdx;Mmp9^+/+ and mdx;Mmp9^+/− mice. (<b>C</b>) Representative FACS dot plots showing the percentage of satellite cells in GA muscle of 8-week old mdx;Mmp9^+/+ and mdx;Mmp9^+/− mice. Negative selection antibodies (CD45, CD31, Ter119) are in upper box whereas positive selection antibody (α7-integrin) is in lower box. (<b>D</b>) Quantification of satellite cells by FACS in GA muscles of 8-week mdx;Mmp9^+/+ and mdx;Mmp9^+/− mice. N = 4 in each group Error bars represent SD. *p<0.05 values significantly different from that of mdx;Mmp9^+/+ mice.