Computerised dystrophic muscle simulator: Prospecting potential therapeutic strategies for muscle dystrophies using a virtual experimental model

Inherited muscle diseases are often characterised by widespread muscle dama ge in the body, limiting the clinical relevance of cell or gene therapy bas ed upon direct injections into muscles. Recent studies have shown, however, that cells originating from the bone marrow are able to target necrosis-re generation sites as they occur and, in addition, may also participate in th e muscle regeneration after undergoing myogenic differentiation. Here, we p resent a computerised dystrophic muscle simulator that allows the prospecti ng of different scenarios of both disease evolution and appropriate employm ent of blood-borne cells as therapeutic shuttles. It provides the option of examining their use either to transfer a healthy gene into the tissue or t o impart substances designed to boost its regeneration. One of the major ad vantages of this tool is that it offers the opportunity of visualising and composing therapeutic strategies in virtual paradigms in which severe clini cal situations, not necessarily available in animal models, can be created. The dystrophic muscle simulator is freely accessible via the Genethon web site (www.genethon.fr), and in the online version via http://www.wiley.co.u k/genmed. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.