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Minimally Invasive Muscle Embedding (MIME) - A Novel Experimental Technique to Facilitate Donor-Cell-Mediated Myogenesis
Published on: August 24, 2017
An Emodin-Depot Microsphere-in-Hydrogel Reprograms the Immuno-myogenic Niche to Enable Volumetric Muscle Loss Repair
Wanshun Liu1, Ruizhe Wang2, Fu Zhao3
1Department of Sports Medicine, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Research (Washington, D.C.)
|August 13, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a new injectable hydrogel loaded with emodin to treat volumetric muscle loss (VML). The biomaterial promotes muscle regeneration by reducing inflammation and improving tissue repair for better functional recovery.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Volumetric muscle loss (VML) leads to irreversible tissue damage and impaired regeneration due to inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrosis.
- Current treatments for VML are limited, highlighting the need for innovative strategies to restore muscle function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an injectable, photocurable microsphere-in-hydrogel platform (E-AMs@GM) for VML repair.
- To investigate the immunomodulatory and regenerative effects of emodin-loaded microspheres within a hydrogel matrix.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of emodin-loaded sodium alginate microspheres embedded in a gelatin methacryloyl hydrogel (E-AMs@GM).
- In vitro assessment of cytocompatibility, oxidative stress reduction, macrophage polarization, and C2C12 myogenesis.
- In vivo evaluation in a murine VML model, including histological analysis, cell activity assessment, and functional locomotor testing.
- Single-cell RNA sequencing to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms.
Main Results:
- E-AMs@GM demonstrated defect-conforming moldability, suitable swelling, and degradation properties.
- In vitro studies showed E-AMs@GM reduced oxidative stress in stem cells and modulated macrophages towards a pro-regenerative phenotype.
- In vivo, E-AMs@GM treatment alleviated inflammation and fibrosis, enhanced muscle regeneration, and improved locomotor function.
- scRNA sequencing revealed E-AMs@GM promotes reparative macrophages and rewires cell-cell interactions crucial for muscle repair.
Conclusions:
- The E-AMs@GM hydrogel platform offers a promising biomaterial strategy for functional VML repair.
- Sustained delivery of emodin via microspheres effectively modulates the inflammatory microenvironment and promotes muscle tissue regeneration.
