3D Printed Magneto‐Active Microfiber Scaffolds for Remote Stimulation and Guided Organization of 3D In Vitro Skeletal Muscle Models
Small, vol. 20, pp. e2307178
Abstract
This work reports the rational design and fabrication of magneto-active microfiber meshes with controlled hexagonal microstructures via melt electrowriting (MEW) of a magnetized polycaprolactone-based composite. In situ iron oxide nanoparticle deposition on oxidized graphene yields homogeneously dispersed magnetic particles with sizes above 0.5 µm and low aspect ratio, preventing cellular internalization and toxicity. With these fillers, homogeneous magnetic composites with high magnetic content (up to 20 weight %) are obtained and processed in a solvent-free manner for the first time. MEW of magnetic composites enabled the creation of skeletal muscle-inspired design of hexagonal scaffolds with tunable fiber diameter, reconfigurable modularity, and zonal distribution of magneto-active and nonactive material, with elastic tensile deformability. External magnetic fields below 300 mT are sufficient to trigger out-of-plane reversible deformation. In vitro culture of C2C12 myoblasts on three-dimensional (3D) Matrigel/collagen/MEW scaffolds showed that microfibers guided the formation of 3D myotube architectures, and the presence of magnetic particles does not significantly affect viability or differentiation rates after 8 days. Centimeter-sized skeletal muscle constructs allowed for reversible, continued, and dynamic magneto-mechanical stimulation. Overall, these innovative microfiber scaffolds provide magnetically deformable platforms suitable for dynamic culture of skeletal muscle, offering potential for in vitro disease modeling.
Authors 13
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Utrecht University · University Medical Center Utrecht · Eindhoven University of Technology
Affiliation as printed
Department of Biomedical Engineering Eindhoven University of Technology Eindhoven 5612 AE The Netherlands
Department of Orthopaedics Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht University Medical Center Utrecht Utrecht 3508 GA The Netherlands
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, 5612 AE The Netherlands
Department of Orthopaedics, Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3508 GA The Netherlands
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Leiden University Medical Center · Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine
Affiliation as printed
Department of Anatomy and Embryology Leiden University Medical Center Leiden 2333 ZC The Netherlands
Leiden Node The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW) Leiden 2333 ZA The Netherlands
Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC The Netherlands
Leiden Node, The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), Leiden, 2333 ZA The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
ALiCE – Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering Faculty of Engineering University of Porto Porto 4200‐465 Portugal
Departamento de Engenharia Química Faculty of Engineering University of Porto Porto 4200‐465 Portugal
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Utrecht University · University Medical Center Utrecht
Affiliation as printed
Department of Orthopaedics Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht University Medical Center Utrecht Utrecht 3508 GA The Netherlands
Department of Orthopaedics, Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3508 GA The Netherlands
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Utrecht University · University Medical Center Utrecht
Affiliation as printed
Department of Orthopaedics Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht University Medical Center Utrecht Utrecht 3508 GA The Netherlands
Department of Orthopaedics, Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3508 GA The Netherlands
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Leiden University Medical Center · Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine
Affiliation as printed
Department of Anatomy and Embryology Leiden University Medical Center Leiden 2333 ZC The Netherlands
Leiden Node The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW) Leiden 2333 ZA The Netherlands
Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC The Netherlands
Leiden Node, The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), Leiden, 2333 ZA The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Departamento de Engenharia Química Faculty of Engineering University of Porto Porto 4200‐465 Portugal
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Affiliation as printed
Departamento de Engenharia Química Faculty of Engineering University of Porto Porto 4200‐465 Portugal
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Affiliation as printed
ALiCE – Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering Faculty of Engineering University of Porto Porto 4200‐465 Portugal
Departamento de Engenharia Química Faculty of Engineering University of Porto Porto 4200‐465 Portugal
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Utrecht University · University Medical Center Utrecht
Affiliation as printed
Department of Clinical Sciences Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Utrecht University Utrecht 3508 GA The Netherlands
Department of Orthopaedics Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht University Medical Center Utrecht Utrecht 3508 GA The Netherlands
Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3508 GA The Netherlands
Department of Orthopaedics, Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3508 GA The Netherlands
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Leiden University Medical Center · Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine
Affiliation as printed
Department of Anatomy and Embryology Leiden University Medical Center Leiden 2333 ZC The Netherlands
Leiden Node The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW) Leiden 2333 ZA The Netherlands
Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC The Netherlands
Leiden Node, The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), Leiden, 2333 ZA The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
ALiCE – Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering Faculty of Engineering University of Porto Porto 4200‐465 Portugal
Departamento de Engenharia Química Faculty of Engineering University of Porto Porto 4200‐465 Portugal
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Miguel Dias Castilho corresponding
Utrecht University · University Medical Center Utrecht · Eindhoven University of Technology
Affiliation as printed
Department of Biomedical Engineering Eindhoven University of Technology Eindhoven 5612 AE The Netherlands
Department of Orthopaedics Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht University Medical Center Utrecht Utrecht 3508 GA The Netherlands
Institute for Complex Molecular Systems Eindhoven University of Technology Eindhoven 5612 AE The Netherlands
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, 5612 AE The Netherlands
Department of Orthopaedics, Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3508 GA The Netherlands
Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, 5612 AE The Netherlands
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