Perfusion culture of three-dimensional myoblast aggregation toward creation of biohybrid robot

Abstract

Recently, attention has been directed to the study on biohybrid robots utilizing biotic muscle tissue as an actuator. However, biohybrid robots reported previously was fabricated by manually assembling muscle tissue onto a structure. It is necessary to develop the technique for automatically assembling cells or tissue onto a structure in the culture medium. We already proposed a three-dimensional cell assembly method using the Magneto-Archimedes effect and succeeded in bridging of myoblast aggregation between micropillars by the method. In this study, we aim at inducing differentiation of myoblast aggregation and maintaining differentiated tissue by perfusing culture medium. First, myoblast aggregation bridged between micropillars. Then, the medium for magnetic assembly was replaced with differentiation medium and was kept perfusing using peristaltic pumps. Perfusion culture enabled us to maintain the muscle tissue for a long term. Establishment of perfusion culture would contribute to the industrial production of biohybrid robot.