scholarly journals Surface-directed engineering of tissue anisotropy in microphysiological models of musculoskeletal tissue

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. eabe9446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark J. Mondrinos ◽  
Farid Alisafaei ◽  
Alex Y. Yi ◽  
Hossein Ahmadzadeh ◽  
Insu Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Injury ◽  
Cancer Cachexia ◽  
Myogenic Differentiation ◽  
Mechanical Anisotropy ◽  
Musculoskeletal Tissue ◽  
Boundary Constraints ◽  
Cell Contractility ◽  
Engineered Tissue ◽  
Tissue Anisotropy

Here, we present an approach to model and adapt the mechanical regulation of morphogenesis that uses contractile cells as sculptors of engineered tissue anisotropy in vitro. Our method uses heterobifunctional cross-linkers to create mechanical boundary constraints that guide surface-directed sculpting of cell-laden extracellular matrix hydrogel constructs. Using this approach, we engineered linearly aligned tissues with structural and mechanical anisotropy. A multiscale in silico model of the sculpting process was developed to reveal that cell contractility increases as a function of principal stress polarization in anisotropic tissues. We also show that the anisotropic biophysical microenvironment of linearly aligned tissues potentiates soluble factor-mediated tenogenic and myogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. The application of our method is demonstrated by (i) skeletal muscle arrays to screen therapeutic modulators of acute oxidative injury and (ii) a 3D microphysiological model of lung cancer cachexia to study inflammatory and oxidative muscle injury induced by tumor-derived signals.

scholarly journals Tenogenic Contribution to Skeletal Muscle Regeneration: The Secretome of Scleraxis Overexpressing Mesenchymal Stem Cells Enhances Myogenic Differentiation In Vitro

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1965
Author(s):  
Maximilian Strenzke ◽  
Paolo Alberton ◽  
Attila Aszodi ◽  
Denitsa Docheva ◽  
Elisabeth Haas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Muscle Regeneration ◽  
Skeletal Muscles ◽  
Myogenic Differentiation ◽  
Muscular Contraction ◽  
Myoblast Fusion ◽  
Skeletal Muscle Regeneration ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
Musculoskeletal Tissue

Integrity of the musculoskeletal system is essential for the transfer of muscular contraction force to the associated bones. Tendons and skeletal muscles intertwine, but on a cellular level, the myotendinous junctions (MTJs) display a sharp transition zone with a highly specific molecular adaption. The function of MTJs could go beyond a mere structural role and might include homeostasis of this musculoskeletal tissue compound, thus also being involved in skeletal muscle regeneration. Repair processes recapitulate several developmental mechanisms, and as myotendinous interaction does occur already during development, MTJs could likewise contribute to muscle regeneration. Recent studies identified tendon-related, scleraxis-expressing cells that reside in close proximity to the MTJs and the muscle belly. As the muscle-specific function of these scleraxis positive cells is unknown, we compared the influence of two immortalized mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) lines—differing only by the overexpression of scleraxis—on myoblasts morphology, metabolism, migration, fusion, and alignment. Our results revealed a significant increase in myoblast fusion and metabolic activity when exposed to the secretome derived from scleraxis-overexpressing MSCs. However, we found no significant changes in myoblast migration and myofiber alignment. Further analysis of differentially expressed genes between native MSCs and scleraxis-overexpressing MSCs by RNA sequencing unraveled potential candidate genes, i.e., extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, transmembrane receptors, or proteases that might enhance myoblast fusion. Our results suggest that musculotendinous interaction is essential for the development and healing of skeletal muscles.

scholarly journals Guide Cells Support Muscle Regeneration and Affect Neuro-Muscular Junction Organization

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 1939
Author(s):  
Flavio L. Ronzoni ◽  
Nefele Giarratana ◽  
Stefania Crippa ◽  
Mattia Quattrocelli ◽  
Marco Cassano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Regeneration ◽  
Muscle Injury ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Neuromuscular Junctions ◽  
Myogenic Differentiation ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Acute Injury ◽  
Complex Biological Process ◽  
Junction Formation

Muscular regeneration is a complex biological process that occurs during acute injury and chronic degeneration, implicating several cell types. One of the earliest events of muscle regeneration is the inflammatory response, followed by the activation and differentiation of muscle progenitor cells. However, the process of novel neuromuscular junction formation during muscle regeneration is still largely unexplored. Here, we identify by single-cell RNA sequencing and isolate a subset of vessel-associated cells able to improve myogenic differentiation. We termed them ‘guide’ cells because of their remarkable ability to improve myogenesis without fusing with the newly formed fibers. In vitro, these cells showed a marked mobility and ability to contact the forming myotubes. We found that these cells are characterized by CD44 and CD34 surface markers and the expression of Ng2 and Ncam2. In addition, in a murine model of acute muscle injury and regeneration, injection of guide cells correlated with increased numbers of newly formed neuromuscular junctions. Thus, we propose that guide cells modulate de novo generation of neuromuscular junctions in regenerating myofibers. Further studies are necessary to investigate the origin of those cells and the extent to which they are required for terminal specification of regenerating myofibers.

scholarly journals Pim1 kinase positively regulates myoblast behaviors and skeletal muscle regeneration

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuantong Liu ◽  
Yue Shang ◽  
Zihan Yan ◽  
Hao Li ◽  
Zhen Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Muscle Regeneration ◽  
Muscle Injury ◽  
Myogenic Differentiation ◽  
Skeletal Muscle Regeneration ◽  
Myoblast Differentiation ◽  
Adult Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Skeletal Muscle Injury ◽  
Pim1 Kinase

Abstract Adult skeletal muscle regeneration after injury depends on normal myoblast function. However, the intrinsic mechanisms for the control of myoblast behaviors are not well defined. Herein, we identified Pim1 kinase as a novel positive regulator of myoblast behaviors in vitro and muscle regeneration in vivo. Specifically, knockdown of Pim1 significantly restrains the proliferation and accelerates the apoptosis of myoblasts in vitro, indicating that Pim1 is critical for myoblast survival and amplification. Meanwhile, we found that Pim1 kinase is increased and translocated from cytoplasm into nucleus during myogenic differentiation. By using Pim1 kinase inhibitor, we proved that inhibition of Pim1 activity prevents myoblast differentiation and fusion, suggesting the necessity of Pim1 kinase activity for proper myogenesis. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that Pim1 kinase interacts with myogenic regulator MyoD and controls its transcriptional activity, inducing the expression of muscle-specific genes, which consequently promotes myogenic differentiation. Additionally, in skeletal muscle injury mouse model, deletion of Pim1 hinders the regeneration of muscle fibers and the recovery of muscle strength. Taken together, our study provides a potential target for the manipulation of myoblast behaviors in vitro and the myoblast-based therapeutics of skeletal muscle injury.

scholarly journals MyD88 Is Not Required for Muscle Injury-Induced Endochondral Heterotopic Ossification in a Mouse Model of Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 630
Author(s):  
Huili Lyu ◽  
Cody M. Elkins ◽  
Jessica L. Pierce ◽  
C. Henrique Serezani ◽  
Daniel S. Perrien
Keyword(s):  
Heterotopic Ossification ◽  
Muscle Injury ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva ◽  
Inflammatory Signaling ◽  
Conditional Deletion ◽  
Pathway Crosstalk ◽  
Multiple Cell

Excess inflammation and canonical BMP receptor (BMPR) signaling are coinciding hallmarks of the early stages of injury-induced endochondral heterotopic ossification (EHO), especially in the rare genetic disease fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP). Multiple inflammatory signaling pathways can synergistically enhance BMP-induced Smad1/5/8 activity in multiple cell types, suggesting the importance of pathway crosstalk in EHO and FOP. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and IL-1 receptors mediate many of the earliest injury-induced inflammatory signals largely via MyD88-dependent pathways. Thus, the hypothesis that MyD88-dependent signaling is required for EHO was tested in vitro and in vivo using global or Pdgfrα-conditional deletion of MyD88 in FOP mice. As expected, IL-1β or LPS synergistically increased Activin A (ActA)-induced phosphorylation of Smad 1/5 in fibroadipoprogenitors (FAPs) expressing Alk2R206H. However, conditional deletion of MyD88 in Pdgfrα-positive cells of FOP mice did not significantly alter the amount of muscle injury-induced EHO. Even more surprisingly, injury-induced EHO was not significantly affected by global deletion of MyD88. These studies demonstrate that MyD88-dependent signaling is dispensable for injury-induced EHO in FOP mice.

scholarly journals Hypertrophy-Reduced Autophagy Causes Cardiac Dysfunction by Directly Impacting Cardiomyocyte Contractility

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 805
Author(s):  
Christiane Ott ◽  
Tobias Jung ◽  
Sarah Brix ◽  
Cathleen John ◽  
Iris R. Betz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy ◽  
Aortic Constriction ◽  
Cell Contractility ◽  
Neonatal Cardiomyocytes ◽  
Cardiomyocyte Contractility ◽  
Cardioprotective Effects ◽  
Modified Proteins ◽  
Cardiomyocyte Autophagy

Cardiac remodeling and contractile dysfunction are leading causes in hypertrophy-associated heart failure (HF), increasing with a population’s rising age. A hallmark of aged and diseased hearts is the accumulation of modified proteins caused by an impaired autophagy-lysosomal-pathway. Although, autophagy inducer rapamycin has been described to exert cardioprotective effects, it remains to be shown whether these effects can be attributed to improved cardiomyocyte autophagy and contractility. In vivo hypertrophy was induced by transverse aortic constriction (TAC), with mice receiving daily rapamycin injections beginning six weeks after surgery for four weeks. Echocardiographic analysis demonstrated TAC-induced HF and protein analyses showed abundance of modified proteins in TAC-hearts after 10 weeks, both reduced by rapamycin. In vitro, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was mimicked by endothelin 1 (ET-1) and autophagy manipulated by silencing Atg5 in neonatal cardiomyocytes. ET-1 and siAtg5 decreased Atg5–Atg12 and LC3-II, increased natriuretic peptides, and decreased amplitude and early phase of contraction in cardiomyocytes, the latter two evaluated using ImageJ macro Myocyter recently developed by us. ET-1 further decreased cell contractility in control but not in siAtg5 cells. In conclusion, ET-1 decreased autophagy and cardiomyocyte contractility, in line with siAtg5-treated cells and the results of TAC-mice demonstrating a crucial role for autophagy in cardiomyocyte contractility and cardiac performance.

Nanofiber-Based in Vitro System for High Myogenic Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells

2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 4207-4216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Leung ◽  
Ashleigh Cooper ◽  
Soumen Jana ◽  
Ching-Ting Tsao ◽  
Timothy A. Petrie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem Cells ◽  
Human Embryonic Stem Cells ◽  
Myogenic Differentiation ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
In Vitro System

scholarly journals The LIM domain protein nTRIP6 modulates the dynamics of myogenic differentiation

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tannaz Norizadeh Abbariki ◽  
Zita Gonda ◽  
Denise Kemler ◽  
Pavel Urbanek ◽  
Tabea Wagner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Satellite Cells ◽  
Muscle Regeneration ◽  
Myogenic Differentiation ◽  
Skeletal Muscle Regeneration ◽  
Temporal Control ◽  
Lim Domain ◽  
Lim Domain Protein ◽  
Domain Protein

AbstractThe process of myogenesis which operates during skeletal muscle regeneration involves the activation of muscle stem cells, the so-called satellite cells. These then give rise to proliferating progenitors, the myoblasts which subsequently exit the cell cycle and differentiate into committed precursors, the myocytes. Ultimately, the fusion of myocytes leads to myofiber formation. Here we reveal a role for the transcriptional co-regulator nTRIP6, the nuclear isoform of the LIM-domain protein TRIP6, in the temporal control of myogenesis. In an in vitro model of myogenesis, the expression of nTRIP6 is transiently up-regulated at the transition between proliferation and differentiation, whereas that of the cytosolic isoform TRIP6 is not altered. Selectively blocking nTRIP6 function results in accelerated early differentiation followed by deregulated late differentiation and fusion. Thus, the transient increase in nTRIP6 expression appears to prevent premature differentiation. Accordingly, knocking out the Trip6 gene in satellite cells leads to deregulated skeletal muscle regeneration dynamics in the mouse. Thus, dynamic changes in nTRIP6 expression contributes to the temporal control of myogenesis.

scholarly journals An Instrumented Bioreactor for Mechanical Stimulation and Real-Time, Nondestructive Evaluation of Engineered Cartilage Tissue

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenni R. Popp ◽  
Justine J. Roberts ◽  
Doug V. Gallagher ◽  
Kristi S. Anseth ◽  
Stephanie J. Bryant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nondestructive Evaluation ◽  
Mechanical Stimulation ◽  
Ultrasonic Transducer ◽  
Testing Machine ◽  
Cartilage Tissue ◽  
Matrix Deposition ◽  
Intermittent Compression ◽  
Engineered Tissue ◽  
Engineered Cartilage

Mechanical stimulation is essential for chondrocyte metabolism and cartilage matrix deposition. Traditional methods for evaluating developing tissue in vitro are destructive, time consuming, and expensive. Nondestructive evaluation of engineered tissue is promising for the development of replacement tissues. Here we present a novel instrumented bioreactor for dynamic mechanical stimulation and nondestructive evaluation of tissue mechanical properties and extracellular matrix (ECM) content. The bioreactor is instrumented with a video microscope and load cells in each well to measure tissue stiffness and an ultrasonic transducer for evaluating ECM content. Chondrocyte-laden hydrogel constructs were placed in the bioreactor and subjected to dynamic intermittent compression at 1 Hz and 10% strain for 1 h, twice per day for 7 days. Compressive modulus of the constructs, measured online in the bioreactor and offline on a mechanical testing machine, did not significantly change over time. Deposition of sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) increased significantly after 7 days, independent of loading. Furthermore, the relative reflection amplitude of the loaded constructs decreased significantly after 7 days, consistent with an increase in sGAG content. This preliminary work with our novel bioreactor demonstrates its capabilities for dynamic culture and nondestructive evaluation.

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