A team of Swiss researchers has developed a microplate system for printing engineered muscle and tendon tissue. The investigators were able to create a microwell plate that allows tissue to adhere to it and the system constantly monitors progress, screens the growth and selects the desired results.
The system may end up being used for therapeutic applications to treat a variety of muscle and joint disorders, but also for screening new drugs.
Some details from the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS):
Muscle and tendon tissue models are fabricated by printing alternating layers of photo-polymerized gelatin-methacryloyl-based bioink and cell suspensions in a dumbbell shape onto a newly designed cell culture insert in 24-well plates containing two vertical posts. The cells show high viability after printing in culture and good tissue differentiation based on marker gene and protein expressions.
In addition, functionality of the muscle tissue models is demonstrated by calcium signaling of Fluo4-loaded cells and myofiber contractility induced by electrical pulse stimulation. Finally, the authors successfully fabricate tendon-muscle-tendon co-cultures by printing tenocytes around the posts of the cell culture inserts and myoblasts between the posts.
Study in journal SLAS Technology: A Novel Microplate 3D Bioprinting Platform for the Engineering of Muscle and Tendon Tissues…
Via: SLAS…