Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41542555›Full record

ArticlebioRxiv : the preprint server for biology2026

Regenerative Index reveals declining muscle regeneration in paediatric patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Johnathan K Smid, Charis A McPherson, Jacob G Monast, Shanti S S Rayagiri, Steven A Moore, Michael A Rudnicki

Abstract readPreprint
In one paragraph

Article in bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Johnathan K SmidSprott Centre for Stem Cell Research, Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.
Charis A McPhersonSprott Centre for Stem Cell Research, Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.
Jacob G MonastSprott Centre for Stem Cell Research, Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.
Shanti S S RayagiriSprott Centre for Stem Cell Research, Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.
Steven A MooreDepartment of Pathology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA.
Michael A RudnickiSprott Centre for Stem Cell Research, Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-3866-5249

Funding

Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center: Project 2P50NS053672 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF IOWA · PI KEVIN P. CAMPBELL · 2020 to 2026
$11.9M
NINDS NIH HHS P50 NS053672
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a devastating disease manifested in skeletal muscle by repetitious myonecrosis and regeneration. Because the regenerative process is closely linked to the cumulative severity of muscle damage, which is variably distributed within and between muscle groups, accurately quantifying muscle regeneration has remained a significant challenge. Methods: Myofibers are delineated by immunostaining for laminin, and subsequent image analysis employed to generate a masked outline precisely within each myofiber boundary. Morphometric parameters including minimal Feret's diameter, cross-sectional area, and circularity were measured for each myofiber. In addition, the number of Pax7-expressing satellite cells were quantified. To evaluate regenerative activity, newly formed myofibers were identified by immunostaining for expression of embryonic myosin heavy chain (eMHC). Necrotic myofibers were enumerated by immunofluorescent detection of immunoglobulin G (IgG) infiltration. The Regenerative Index (RI) was calculated as the number of regenerating (eMHC Results: A trend toward an increasing minimal Feret's diameter, cross-sectional area and circularity was observed with increasing age in DMD boys, with circularity showing the strongest trend. Furthermore, compared to DMD boys 7- to 8-years old, the boys 9- to 11-years old had significantly increased myofiber circularity. Pax7-expressing cells were significantly elevated in DMD boys compared to control boys of similar ages, without any observation of age-related changes. Notably, the Regenerative Index in DMD boys exhibited a pronounced decline between 7-11 years of age, and a significant inverse correlation between RI and age was observed. Conclusions: Using eMHC and IgG immunostaining to calculate RI accurately assesses regeneration despite the variation in histopathologic severity between biopsies. This methodology demonstrated a significant negative correlation between RI and age of DMD boys from 7 to 11 years of age.

Indexed as

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)dystrophinEmbryonic myosin heavy chain (eMHC)Muscle regenerationNecrotic myofibersRegenerating myofibersRegenerative Index (RI)

Identifiers

PMID41542555
PMCPMC12803257

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.