Skeletal muscle stem cells keep their lineage options open.

Pax7 is expressed in multiple skeletal muscle cell types, not exclusively in muscle stem cells, challenging its role as a definitive marker.

• Why it matters: Understanding the true identity and plasticity of muscle cells is crucial for developing effective regenerative therapies, as current markers may not be specific enough.
• What they did: Gioftsidi, Hayashi et al. employed lineage-tracing techniques to investigate Pax7 expression across different skeletal muscle cell populations, revealing broader expression patterns.
• The result: The findings suggest that Pax7's role in muscle regeneration is more complex than previously thought, which could influence future strategies for muscle repair and stem cell identification.