Nanomaterial Additives for Fabrication of Stimuli‐Responsive Skeletal Muscle Tissue Engineering Constructs

Abstract

Volumetric muscle loss necessitates novel tissue engineering strategies for skeletal muscle repair, which have traditionally involved cells and extracellular matrix-mimicking scaffolds and have thus far been unable to successfully restore physiologically relevant function. However, the incorporation of various nanomaterial additives with unique physicochemical properties into scaffolds has recently been explored as a means of fabricating constructs that are responsive to electrical, magnetic, and photothermal stimulation. Herein, several classes of nanomaterials that are used to mediate external stimulation to tissue engineered skeletal muscle are reviewed and the impact of these stimuli-responsive biomaterials on cell growth and differentiation and in vivo muscle repair is discussed. The degradation kinetics and biocompatibilities of these nanomaterial additives are also briefly examined and their potential for incorporation into clinically translatable skeletal muscle tissue engineering strategies is considered. Overall, these nanomaterial additives have proven efficacious and incorporation in tissue engineering scaffolds has resulted in enhanced functional skeletal muscle regeneration. 1. Introduction: Necessity for Stimuli-Responsive Constructs for Skeletal Muscle Tissue Engineering Volumetric muscle loss (VML) occurs when more than 20% of a muscle is lost, the point at which endogenous mechanisms for skeletal muscle self-repair are overcome. [1] VML frequently

Hydrogel-Based Fiber Biofabrication Techniques for Skeletal Muscle Tissue Engineering

“…Hence, SMTE encouraged the development of electrically conductive hydrogels to provide engineered platforms that can simultaneously guarantee a tissue-like microenvironment and an efficient delivery of electrical signals. 75 , 76 A common approach to develop conductive hydrogels consists in combing the pristine material with conductive polymers such as polyaniline (PANi) or poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT). 77 , 78 For example, Hosseinzadeh et al interpenetrated a PAAm hydrogel with polyaniline (PANi) as a conductive component.…”

“…Among them, graphene and its derivatives, such as graphene oxide (GO) and reduced GO (rGO), metal nanowires, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been extensively employed in SMTE. 75 , 79 For instance, Jo et al introduced rGO into PAAm hydrogels to obtain electroconductive hydrogels. 80 In vitro studies conducted on C2C12 myoblasts revealed that the presence of rGO significantly enhanced cell proliferation and myogenic differentiation compared to PAAm pristine hydrogels.…”

Iron Oxide Nanoparticles in Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering

“…Skeletal muscle repair requires tissue engineering strategies that incorporate scaffolds of biomaterials and cells capable of successfully restoring physiologically relevant functions [ 621 ]. In addition, non-invasive imaging techniques help to evaluate and monitor the therapy.…”

Paramagnetic Functionalization of Biocompatible Scaffolds for Biomedical Applications: A Perspective

“…By applying a magnetic field to magnetic NPs containing polymeric matrices, physical modifications close to the embedded MNPs can be induced creating heterogeneous forces that are perceived by the surrounding cells [129]. The magnetic stimulation of MNPs would therefore allow the mechanical regulation of different cellular functions such as the re-arrangement of the cytoskeleton and the alignment of the myotubes in muscle cells [29,134] or the regulation of intracellular calcium levels in excitable cells such as neurons and heart cells [29]. In the in vivo scenario, cell activity is coordinated by dynamic interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM) through its space-time stiffening and softening, which is mediated by chemical or physical stimuli.…”