Scientists at Tufts University in the USA have created muscle cells that are capable of producing factors for independent growth. The results of the study, published in the journal Cell Reports Sustainability, will help significantly reduce the cost of producing cultured meat.
Growth factors bind to receptors on the cell surface and signal the nucleus for subsequent tissue growth and differentiation into mature cell types. In the new work, the scientists modified stem cells to produce their own fibroblast growth factor (FGF), which triggers the growth of skeletal muscle cells.
The engineered cells were able to proliferate within a few transplants in FGF2-free media, thus eliminating the need for this expensive component. The cells also retained their myogenicity, that is, their ability to form muscle tissue.
