title: Interaction between electrical stimulation, protein coating and matrix elasticity: a complex effect on muscle fibre maturation.
abstract: In skeletal muscle tissue engineering, it remains a challenge to produce mature, functional muscle tissue. Mimicking the in vivo niche in in vitro culture might overcome this problem. Niche components include, for example, extracellular matrix proteins, neighbouring cells, growth factors and physical factors such as the elasticity of the matrix. Previously, we showed the effects of matrix stiffness and protein coating on proliferation and differentiation of muscle progenitor cells in a two-dimensional (2D) situation. In the present study we have investigated the additional effect of electrical stimulation. More precisely, we investigated the effect of electrical stimulation on primary myoblast maturation when cultured on top of Matrigel™ - or laminin-coated substrates with varying elasticities. The effect of electrical stimulation on differentiation and maturation was found to be dependent on coating and stiffness. Although electrical stimulation enhanced myoblast maturation, the effect was mild. We therefore conclude that, with the current regimen, electrical stimulation is not essential to create functional, mature muscle tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: K J M
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Boonen
authors.forename: D W J
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: van der Schaft
authors.forename: F P T
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Baaijens
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Post
mesh_terms: D000185:Actinin / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004548:Elasticity; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D024510:Muscle Development / Q000235:genetics; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D000185:Actinin