Electrohydrodynamic-direct-printed cell-laden microfibrous structure using alginate-based bioink for effective...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Skeletal muscle tissue engineering requires methods to create aligned, cell-laden structures that promote myogenic differentiation and vascularization.
• Existing techniques often struggle to replicate the complex microarchitecture and cellular interactions necessary for functional muscle regeneration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel fibrin-assisted alginate bioink and electrohydrodynamic direct-printing method for fabricating aligned microfibrous structures for skeletal muscle tissue engineering.
• To investigate the impact of co-culturing myoblasts with endothelial cells within these structures on myotube formation, myogenic differentiation, and vascularization.
• To evaluate the efficacy of the engineered construct in a mouse model of volumetric muscle loss.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of aligned alginate/fibrin microfibrous structures using electrohydrodynamic direct-printing with optimized printing parameters.
• Co-printing of myoblasts and vascular endothelial cells within the alginate/fibrin matrix to create spatially patterned constructs.
• In vitro assessment of myotube formation and myogenic differentiation.
• In vivo implantation of cell-laden constructs in a mouse volumetric muscle loss model to evaluate muscle repair.

Main Results:

• The developed method successfully produced mechanically stable, aligned alginate/fibrin microfibrous structures with topographical cues.
• Co-culture of myoblasts with endothelial cells significantly enhanced myotube formation and myogenic differentiation compared to myoblasts alone, attributed to increased angiogenic cytokine secretion.
• Implantation of adipose stem cell- and endothelial cell-laden constructs accelerated volumetric muscle repair in a mouse model.

Conclusions:

• This study presents a promising alginate-based bioink and bio-fabrication technique for creating aligned, cell-laden microfibrous structures for skeletal muscle tissue engineering.
• The co-culture strategy with endothelial cells is crucial for promoting vascularization and enhancing muscle regeneration.
• The proposed method holds potential for applications in muscle-on-a-chip devices and the recovery of volumetric muscle defects.