To date, genetically engineered myoblasts are one of the few cell types capable of long term systemic delivery of proteins at therapeutic levels.
Myoblast transplantation poses unique challenges in comparison to organ transplants.
In contrast to organs, transplanted myoblasts become incorporated into multinucleated muscle fibers of the host and form stable cell hybrids in which the nuclei remain distinct. However, the immunobiology of myoblast transplantation is poorly understood. Retrovirally infected myoblasts expressing -galactosidase are useful in studies of myoblast transplantation. Myoblast survival can be quantitated and histological analyses of cell fate can be performed. Using these techniques, Pavlath, et al.