[ In vitro construction of skeletal muscle tissues.]

In conventional culture methods using culture dishes, myotubes formed by fusion of myoblasts adhere to the surface of the culture dishes. Because the adherence causes interruption of myotube contractions and immobilization of myotubes from the culture dishes, the conventional culture methods have limitations to applications of the myotubes into drug developments and medical treatments. In order to avoid their adherence, many researchers have proposed in vitro construction of skeletal muscle tissues which both ends are fixed to anchors. The skeletal muscle tissues achieve their contractions freely according to electrical stimulations or optical stimulations, and transfer of them to other experimental setup by releasing them form the anchors. By combining the skeletal muscle tissues with force sensors, the skeletal muscle tissues are available to drug screening tests based on contractile force as a functional index. Furthermore, survival of the skeletal muscle tissues are demonstrated by implantation of them to animals. Thus, in vitro constructed skeletal muscle tissues is now recognized as attractive tools in medical fields. This review will summarize fabrication methods, properties and medical applicability of the skeletal muscle tissues.