On the developmental origins and mechanisms of specification of the muscle satellite cell

Satellite cells are the adult stem cells of skeletal muscle. Although satellite cells have been the focus of a considerable body of research, considerably little is known about their origins. Therefore, in this thesis, the developmental origins and mechanisms of specification of satellite cells is explored using the larval zebrafish model system. By exploiting the advantages of this model system, a number of discoveries about satellite cell development have been made, from which a novel model of satellite cell development is presented.