Inducible expression of neurotrophic factors by mesenchymal progenitor cells derived from traumatically injured human muscle.

Peripheral nerve damage frequently accompanies musculoskeletal trauma and repair of these nerves could be enhanced by the targeted application of neurotrophic factors (NTFs), which are typically expressed by endogenous cells that support nerve regeneration. Injured muscle tissues express NTFs to promote reinnervation as the tissue regenerates, but the source of these factors from within the muscles is not fully understood. We have previously identified a population of mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) in traumatized muscle tissue with properties that support tissue regeneration, and our hypothesis was that MPCs also secrete the NTFs that are associated with muscle tissue reinnervation.