Skeletal Muscle Tissue Engineering: 
A Comprehensive Review

Author: Sophie L. Huang¹, Birol Ay²

Affiliation: ¹Poolesville High School

²Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital

​

Abstract:​​​​

Skeletal muscle tissue engineering (SMTE) offers a promising solution to address volumetric muscle loss (VML) due to severe muscle injuries and diseases like muscular dystrophy (MD) and cleft lip syndrome. Conditions like this often surpass the body’s natural regenerative capabilities, causing a permanent disability. By utilizing advanced biomaterial scaffolds, stem cells, and growth factors, SMTE researchers aim to restore functional muscle tissue in vivo for clinical use. This review explores the current strategies and advancements in the field of SMTE, including the use of autologous and pluripotent stem cells, growth factors, and innovative scaffold designs such as hydrogels, decellularized matrices, porous scaffolds, and electrospun fibers for bioprinting. These studies show that muscle can be made, but challenges still pose a hurdle in the implementation of patients. New techniques like 3D bioprinting present significantly enhanced cell alignment and differentiation, bringing engineered constructs closer to native muscle functionality. Additional in vitro studies demonstrate high cell viability, proliferation, and myotube formation, while in vivo models show encouraging outcomes in recovery of muscle function and initial integration with surrounding tissue. Despite these advances, challenges remain in replicating functional muscle tissue in vivo, particularly in terms of neural integration, vascularization, and long-term stability. The ongoing development of these technologies holds great potential for treating severe muscle injuries and genetic disorders.

​

Keywords: tissue engineering, muscle, stem cells​

​​

ISSN 3069-8200