Skeletal Muscle Tissue Engineering System to Mimic In Vivo Development

Skeletal muscle atrophy can occur for a number of reasons including degenerative diseases and age-related sarcopenia. Current pre-clinical studies for regeneration therapies are solely reliant on animal models, which do not accurately mimic human tissue and chemistry. The purpose of developing this device was to provide a reproducible manner of creating an in vitro skeletal muscle model that will aid in preclinical therapy testing. The device was designed to maintain a sterile environment for tissue culture, which provides anchorage, periodic strain, and generates an electric field to stimulate contraction. The intended output of the device is the controlled culture of a minimal functional unit of skeletal muscle that surpasses current standards of in vitro and in vivo pre-clinical models