Assembled Cell‐Decorated Collagen (AC‐DC) Fiber Bioprinted Implants with Musculoskeletal Tissue Properties Promote Functional Recovery in Volumetric Muscle Loss. Issue 3 (19th December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Christensen, Kyle W.; Turner, Jonathan; Coughenour, Kelly; Maghdouri‐White, Yas; Bulysheva, Anna A.; Sergeant, Olivia; Rariden, Michael; Randazzo, Alessia; Sheean, Andrew J.; Christ, George J.; Francis, Michael P.
• Is Part Of: Advanced healthcare materials. Volume 11:Issue 3(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-12-19
• Subjects: AC‐DC -- bioprinting -- collagen -- microfibers -- volumetric muscle loss; Biomedical materials -- Periodicals; 610.28
• DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202101357
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2192-2640

Abstract

Abstract: Musculoskeletal tissue injuries, including volumetric muscle loss (VML), are commonplace and often lead to permanent disability and deformation. Addressing this healthcare need, an advanced biomanufacturing platform, assembled cell‐decorated collagen (AC‐DC) bioprinting, is invented to rapidly and reproducibly create living biomaterial implants, using clinically relevant cells and strong, microfluidic wet‐extruded collagen microfibers. Quantitative analysis shows that the directionality and distribution of cells throughout AC‐DC implants mimic native musculoskeletal tissue. AC‐DC bioprinted implants further approximate or exceed the strength and stiffness of human musculoskeletal tissue and exceed collagen hydrogel tensile properties by orders of magnitude. In vivo, AC‐DC implants are assessed in a critically sized muscle injury in the hindlimb, with limb torque generation potential measured over 12 weeks. Both acellular and cellular implants promote functional recovery compared to the unrepaired group, with AC‐DC implants containing therapeutic muscle progenitor cells promoting the highest degree of recovery. Histological analysis and automated image processing of explanted muscle cross‐sections reveal increased total muscle fiber count, median muscle fiber size, and increased cellularization for injuries repaired with cellularized implants. These studies introduce an advanced bioprinting method for generating musculoskeletal tissue analogs with near‐native biological and biomechanical properties with the potential to repair myriad challenging musculoskeletal injuries. Abstract : Assembled cell‐decorated collagen (AC‐DC) bioprinting process rapidly and reproducibly forms 3D implants using clinically relevant cells that are tethered to strong, microfluidic extruded collagen fibers. This advanced biomanufacturing platform produces cellularized collagen microfiber implants to prospectively facilitate functional repair and regeneration of musculoskeletal soft tissues.