Fig. 1

The mrSC population increases in damaged muscle. a Graph showing the number of progenitor mrSCs per gram of control and damaged muscle determined by a colony formation assay (CFU-F). There was a significant 30.3-fold increase in the number of mrSCs per gram of damaged muscle (CTX) compared to the control muscle (Saline) (mean ± SEM of four independent experiments; n = 4–6/experience; ***p < 0.001). b Photographs of representative CFU-F culture dishes of control (Saline) and damaged muscles (CTX). Each contains the equivalent of a 1:500 dilution (or 0.4 mg of muscle). For the damaged muscle, the number of CFU-F at this dilution was too high for them to be counted. A higher dilution was thus used (1:5,000 or 0.04 mg of muscle)