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Engineering Skeletal Muscle Tissues from Murine Myoblast Progenitor Cells and Application of Electrical Stimulation
Published on: March 19, 2013
Effect of implantation on engineered skeletal muscle constructs
Michael L Williams1, Tatiana Y Kostrominova, Ellen M Arruda
1Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
|February 14, 2012
Summary
Engineered skeletal muscle constructs show potential for tissue repair, demonstrating improved force production and developing vascularization after 1 week in vivo. Further implantation time is needed for full adult muscle phenotype development.
Area of Science:
- Regenerative Medicine
- Tissue Engineering
- Skeletal Muscle Biology
Background:
- Current tissue engineering methods produce three-dimensional (3D) muscle constructs with limited phenotypic development.
- Achieving an adult muscle phenotype requires successful innervation and vascularization of engineered tissues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the in vivo development of engineered skeletal muscle constructs after implantation.
- To assess the potential for innervation, vascularization, and force production in engineered muscle tissue.
Main Methods:
- Implanted 3D muscle constructs into rat hindlimbs, connecting them to the sciatic and sural nerves.
- Utilized aortic ring anchors for dynamic movement with endogenous muscle.
- Evaluated constructs for force production, capillary development, and tissue markers after 1 week.
Main Results:
- Implanted constructs exhibited a developing capillary system, an epimysium-like outer layer, and increased myofiber content.
- Evidence of early neuromuscular junction formation (α-bungarotoxin clustering) was observed.
- Maximum isometric force increased by 245% in implanted constructs compared to in vitro controls.
Conclusions:
- Engineered muscle tissue survives implantation and initiates development of critical interfaces for advancing toward an adult phenotype.
- One week of in vivo implantation promotes vascularization and initial innervation.
- Longer implantation periods are necessary to achieve full force production and adult characteristics in engineered muscle.
