Sarcopenia is a systemic disease characterized by accelerated loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, leading to an increased incidence of adverse outcomes such as falls and fractures. Sarcopenia is classified into primary and secondary types, with primary sarcopenia being closely related to aging and posing a serious threat to a healthy life among the elderly. Sarcopenia has an insidious onset and is often overlooked in terms of its clinical treatment. Its pathogenesis is complex, involving functional changes and pathological alterations in multiple systems, and presenting major research challenges. Cell models can effectively be used to simulate the pathological changes of diseases under controllable conditions, thus facilitating the investigation of the etiology and factors influencing sarcopenia, and providing an important approach for in-depth studies of its mechanism; however, there is currently no standardized cell model in the field of sarcopenia research. Commonly used cell models currently include models involving protein metabolism interventions, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response interventions. This review considers the commonly used skeletal muscle cell types and modeling method of sarcopenia, to provide a solid foundation and important method ological reference for further simulation of the pathological process of sarcopenia in subsequent experimental studies.