Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2026, 71(8):361-370 | DOI: 10.17221/38/2026-CJAS

In vitro proliferative capacity of satellite cells derived from Brown Vietnamese cattle (Bos indicus)Original Paper

Minh Thai Nguyen^1,2, Chung Chinh Doan ORCID...^1,2, Son Nghia Hoang ORCID...^1,2, Thi Anh Linh Dinh², Han Thai Minh Nguyen^3,4, Nhung Thi Nguyen ORCID...⁵, Hanh Van Nguyen ORCID...⁶, Loan Thi Tung Dang⁷, Nhan Lu Chinh Phan², Long Thanh Le1 ORCID...^1,2, Chi Nguyen Quynh Ho1 ORCID...^1,2

¹ Biotechnology Department, Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam

² Animal Biotechnology Department, Institute of Life Sciences, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

³ Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA

⁴ Life Science Department, University of New Hampshire at Manchester, Manchester, NH, USA

⁵ Department of Animal Biotechnology, Institute of Biology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam

⁶ VNU University of Engineering and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam

⁷ Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Finding suitable animal cell sources for cultured meat production remains a major challenge and continues to attract significant scientific interest, particularly in the development of bovine cultured meat. These cells must demonstrate robust proliferative capacity and the ability to maintain stemness. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the proliferation capacity and morphological alterations of bovine satellite cells (bSCs) derived from the Brown Vietnamese cattle during long-term in vitro expansion. The results showed that bSCs possessed a high proliferative potential, sustaining over 20 passages. These cells retained the expression of Pax7 and Pax3, specific markers for bovine satellite cells, in both early and late passages. Accumulation of bSCs in the G0/G1 phase at late passages indicated cell cycle arrest and reduced proliferation during prolonged culture. Morphological features of cellular senescence were also identified in late passage bSCs, including cytoplasmic enlargement, increased cell and nuclear size, and a decreased nucleocytoplasmic ratio. These findings suggest that bSCs from the Brown Vietnamese cattle represent a promising cell source for cultured meat research, demonstrating initial proliferative capacity and maintenance of cell identity, although proliferation potential declines under extended in vitro conditions due to cellular senescence.

Keywords: bovine satellite cells; cultured meat production; in vitro expansion; myogenic markers; replicative senescence

Received: March 20, 2026; Accepted: August 3, 2026; Prepublished online: August 25, 2026; Published: August 26, 2026  Show citation