Fully functional muscle grown in the laboratory

Scientists at Duke University have grown in the laboratory human skeletal muscle: they respond to external stimuli, such as electrical impulses, biochemical signals and pharmaceuticals in the same way as the original.





Used for growing muscle myoblasts - progenitor muscle fibers, taken by biopsy in the adult. From миобластов during embryonic development and regeneration of skeletal muscle in poslezarodyshevy period formed striated muscle fibers. Scientists put the cells in a very small "scaffolding" and waited until they turn into muscle fibers. As one of the scientists, it was a difficult year search a cell density of the gel matrix and optimization.

The researchers then checked whether the cloth as "original". It was found that muscle responds to an electric pulse which has not been previously seen in vitro-grown samples. There was also an answer to drugs. Because this muscle is very close resemblance to the present, it can be used to test drugs. That is, instead of prosthetics, is the aim of this development.

Furthermore, a step toward a personalized medicine, because you can take a biopsy of a particular patient, and grow muscle tissue check this new drug without any risk.

syncytium - multicore muscle fiber. I>


Duke University bioengineers working long growing muscle in vitro. Last year they presented muscle with the ability to heal itself and implanted it in the body of the mouse.

Source: geektimes.ru/post/244266/