Controllable assembly of skeletal muscle-like bundles through 3D bioprinting.

Abstract

3D printing is an effective technology for recreating skeletal muscle tissue<i>in vitro</i>. To achieve clinical skeletal muscle injury repair, relatively large volumes of highly aligned skeletal muscle cells are required; obtaining these is still a challenge. It is currently unclear how individual skeletal muscle cells and their neighbouring components co-ordinate to establish anisotropic architectures in highly homogeneous orientations. Here, we demonstrated a 3D printing strategy followed by sequential culture processes to engineer skeletal muscle tissue. The effects of confined printing on the skeletal muscle during maturation, which impacted the myotube alignment, myogenic gene expression, and mechanical forces, were observed. Our findings demonstrate the dynamic changes of skeletal muscle tissue during<i>in vitro</i>3D construction and reveal the role of physical factors in the orientation and maturity of muscle fibres.