Myotube/Adipocyte Powder-Enriched Alginate-Zein Hydrogels Support Myotube Alignment for 3D Myoblast Culture

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Food Science

Background:

• Edible scaffolds are crucial for cultured meat development, promoting myogenic differentiation.
• Current scaffolds often lack tissue-specificity and fail to mimic native muscle structure or function.
• There is a need for cytocompatible, tissue-specific scaffolds that support both muscle and fat development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a composite alginate-zein (Algi/zein) hydrogel enriched with myotube (MP) and adipocyte (AP) powders.
• To evaluate the structural, cellular, and biochemical properties of the developed hydrogel for cultured meat applications.
• To assess the potential of the scaffold to mimic native muscle tissue characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of Algi/zein hydrogels enriched with MP and AP powders.
• Evaluation of structural and cellular properties using C2C12 myoblasts in 2D and 3D cultures.
• Metabolomic profiling to assess biochemical features and similarity to native muscle.

Main Results:

• MP/AP incorporation created extracellular matrix (ECM)-like microstructures.
• Significant enhancement in myotube alignment within Algi/zein scaffolds (up to 6-fold increase at 1:1 AP:MP ratio).
• Observed organized myosin expression and partial biochemical similarity to beef via metabolomic profiling.

Conclusions:

• Incorporating MP and AP powders into Algi/zein hydrogels improves myotube alignment.
• The developed hydrogel shows partial structural and biochemical similarity to native muscle tissue.
• This composite scaffold represents a promising advancement for cultured meat production.