Design of Hydrogel Scaffold from Solubilized Skeletal Muscle Extracellular Matrix

Abstract:
There is a need for a standardized protocol to create biomimetic muscle tissue constructs in vitro for research and therapeutic purposes. A hydrogel scaffold was created through a process of decellularization of chopped porcine tissue in 1% SDS for 3 days, 20X IPA for 24 hours, then milling, lyophilization, and digestion in pepsin and hydrochloric acid. Histology and DNA quantification testing was performed to confirm the number of wash days for decellularization, and tissues were found to be thoroughly decelled with the protocol. Future directions for the project include successfully forming hydrogels in designed biocompatible molds, using laser-cutting for methodical shaping of the tissue, and finally seeding stem cells into the scaffolds to create functional biomimetic tissue in vitro.

Team members: Minjae Chung, Joseph Kim, Sammy Ngo, Noémie Poliquin, Tzung (Jonathan) Yu

Mentors: Dr. Andrew McCulloch, Dr. Alex Noonan, Cardiac Mechanics Research Group (CMRG) UCSD

Acknowledgements: We would like to thank Dr. McCulloch for proposing this design project and Dr. Taylor for supporting us throughout it. We would also like to thank Dr. Noonan for directly overseeing our project, guiding us through the research process, and teaching us new skills and techniques. We would like to thank Jennifer Stowe for allowing us to conduct experiments in the lab and for introducing us to different equipment and lab protocols. The team also appreciates the Christman Lab at Sanford Consortium for allowing us to use their equipment. Lastly, we would like to thank Dr. Anderson for collaborating with us on this project and working with Team 1 to be successful in this capstone project.

Disclaimer: All pictures and figures displayed are our own unless cited otherwise.