In vitrodevelopment of engineered muscle using a scaffold based on the pressure-activated microsyringe (PAM) technique

Abstract

The development of new human skeletal muscle tissue is an alternative approach to the replacement of tissue after severe damage, for example in the case of traumatic injury, where surgical reconstruction is often needed following major loss of natural tissue. Treatment to date has involved the transfer of muscle tissue from other sites, resulting in a functional loss and volume deficiency of donor sites. Approaches that seek to eliminate these problems include the relatively new solution of skeletal muscle engineering. Here there are two main components to consider: (a) the cells with their regenerative potential; and (b) the polymeric structure onto which cells are seeded and where they must perform their activities. In this paper we describe well-defined two- and three-dimensional polymeric structures able to drive the myoblast process of adhesion, proliferation and differentiation. We examine a series of polymers and protein adhesions with which to functionalize the structures, and cell-seeding methods, with a view to defining the optimal protocol for engineering skeletal muscle tissue. All polymer samples were tested for their mechanical and biological properties, to support the validity of our results in the real context of muscle tissue engineering. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Naturally derived and synthetic scaffolds for skeletal muscle reconstruction

“…Additive microfabrication techniques such as 3-D printing act by rapidly layering small amounts of material to build structurally detailed scaffolds, and extend scaffold design control to the third dimension [116]. Similarly, pressure activated microsyringe deposition has been utilized to fabricate PLGA and PCL scaffolds with an array of 2-D and 3-D geometries that possess different mechanical properties, which can favor myoblast proliferation or differentiation [117]. For skeletal muscle TE scaffolds, it will be important to understand how the porosity, fiber diameter and density, elasticity, degradation rates, bioactivity and biocompatibility affect both local and systemic host response.…”

Design, fabrication and perivascular implantation of bioactive scaffolds engineered with human adventitial progenitor cells for stimulation of arteriogenesis in peripheral ischemia

“…It is based on a 3axis micropositioner for the movement in space of different fabrication tools (1 axis, defined as z) respect to a working plane (2 axes, defined as x-y plane) under the control of a dedicated CAD/CAM software. In the present work the air-pressure extrusion system was used, composed by a stainless steel syringe with a glass capillary needle of 80µm diameter [25,26]. Polycaprolactone (PCL), from Sigma Aldrich, was solved in chloroform (Sigma Aldrich) 10% w/v, loaded into the syringe and extruded.…”

“…The fabrication process was finely calibrated: the working parameters were the deposition plane velocity of 9 mm s −1 and extrusion pressure of 8 kPa [25,26].…”