Abstract Satellite cells are regarded as a population of muscle-specific committed progenitors which are responsible for the postnatal maintenance, growth, repair and regeneration of skeletal muscles. Although satellite cells have been first isolated for 50 years, the isolation protocols are still to be modified. In this study, the combination of two-step enzyme digestion and purification with different speed adherence protocols were used to isolate rat （Rattus norvegicus） satellite cells. Analyses of the cells with desmin immunocytochemical staining indicated that the cells were derived from skeletal muscle; RT-PCR of Myf5 and Myod1 showed that they expressed muscle-specific transcription factor; Myotubes began to form at 48 h in induced-culture medium; Lipid droplets began to appear in cells after 1 week，and the number of adipose cells increased significantly after 2 weeks. The results suggested that isolated satellite cells could be induced into adipogenesis, and had the abilities to develop into myobubes and differentiated into adipose cells.
