Fibrous Muscle Bundle Fabrication via Protein-Coated Scaffolds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cultivated meat production methods face challenges in replicating the anisotropic structure of animal muscle tissue, including low seeding efficiency, limited cell density, and scalability issues with existing scaffolding techniques, which are often not cost-effective and safe for human consumption.
Innovation Solution
A method and composition for producing fibrous muscle bundles using a gel paste that forms a highly anisotropic fibrous gel embedding cells, involving a crosslinking bath and a process that supports cell growth and alignment, enabling high cell density and scalability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional scaffolding techniques are used for cell seeding, then cell attachment can be achieved, but seeding efficiency is low and cell density is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The scaffold is pre-coated with myofibrillar proteins before cell seeding. This preliminary preparation creates pre-formed attachment sites that dramatically improve cell attachment efficiency and enable higher cell densities, resolving the contradiction between seeding efficiency and cell density limitations of traditional scaffolds
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the surface properties of the scaffold by coating with myofibrillar proteins, altering the biochemical parameters to enhance cell attachment. This parameter change enables both high seeding efficiency and high cell density simultaneously, overcoming the limitations of uncoated scaffolds
2Productivity
If porous fibrous mats are used as scaffolds, then cell integration is possible, but the surface area is limited and seeding is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The scaffold surface is pre-coated with myofibrillar proteins to create ready-to-attach sites before cell introduction. This preliminary action eliminates the need for prolonged seeding periods and enables rapid cell integration, dramatically improving productivity while reducing time loss
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces prolonged mechanical seeding processes with a biochemical attachment mechanism. By using protein-coated surfaces, cells rapidly attach through biochemical recognition rather than requiring extended mechanical exposure, thus improving production rate and reducing seeding time
3Shape
If individual microfibers are prepared and arranged in arrays, then high anisotropic structure is achieved, but the process becomes complex and not scalable
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the scaffold structure formation with cell attachment functions into a single integrated process. By coating the entire scaffold surface with myofibrillar proteins, the complex process of individually preparing and arranging microfibers is replaced with a simple coating operation that simultaneously provides structural support and guides cell organization
Solution Approach 2:
The myofibrillar protein coating serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural scaffold support, creates attachment sites for cells, and guides cell alignment to form anisotropic structures. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for complex multi-step processes, reducing device complexity while maintaining high anisotropic structure quality
4Quantity of substance
If sacrificial gel molding is used, then fiber formation is possible, but gelation kinetics are slow and scalability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the sacrificial gel molding step from the process. By using myofibrillar protein-coated scaffolds that directly support cell growth and fiber formation, the slow gelation kinetics associated with sacrificial gel methods are avoided, enabling high-volume production at rapid rates
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method achieves high cell seeding efficiency, superior tissue formation, and production of fibrous muscle bundles with a realistic texture and structure, compatible with large-scale, automated production, using edible components and mild processing conditions.
Implementation Method 1
compositions of the crosslinking baths used in the process
Implementation Method 2
a gel paste which is turned within minutes into highly anisotropic fibrous gel embedding cells
Implementation Method 3
The fibrillar microstructure of the gel supports cell growth and alignment
Data Source
AI summary
A method for the fabrication of cultivated meat, using a paste composed of the following components: (A) optionally at least one polysaccharide; (B) at least one amphiphilic macromolecule, for example protein, e.g. one assembling with the polysaccharide of component (A) via supramolecular or covalent interaction or a combination thereof, in a concentration in the paste in the range of 0.001-500 g per L of component (D); (C) cells, in a concentration in the paste in the range of 0-300 billion cells per L of component (D); (D) water or a water-based culturing medium; (E) additives different from (A)-(D) and forming micro-fibrils starting from such a paste by adding a micro-structuring agent and extrusion drawing from a nozzle ready for conversion into muscle cells by culturing in differentiation media designed for the used cell types.