Submicron-grooved culture surface extends myotube length by forming parallel and elongated motif

During skeletal muscle development, correct cellular orientation is vital to generate desired longitudinal contraction for functional muscle fibres. In this reported study, submicron-imprint lithography was used to generate submicron-grooved surfaces on polystyrene plates to induce striated myotubes in vitro. Mouse muscle myoblast cells cultured on a submicron-grooved surface migrated faster in a directionally uniform fashion; in comparison, cells cultured on a flat surface grew and migrated slower in indiscriminate directions. Subsequent maturation of the myoblast cells formed along the submicron-groove surface resulted in a tandem of parallel myotubes that were both longer and greater in circumference than in the case of the flat surface. In a functional test, the co-culture submicron-groove-grown myotubes with neurotransmitter secreting cells further demonstrated contraction abilities, suggesting submicron-groove-guided growth served to enhance myotube formation while retaining striated motifs and physiological functionality for muscle tissue engineering.