Filippi Miriam, Mock Diana, Fuentes Judith, Y Michelis Mike, Balciunaite Aiste, Paniagua Pablo, Hopf Raoul, Barteld Adina, Eng Selina, Badolato Asia, Snedeker Jess, Guix Maria, Sanchez Samuel, K Katzschmann Robert
Soft Robotics Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Tannenstrasse 3, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri-Reixac 10-12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
Sci Adv. 2025 Jul 18;11(29):eadv2628. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adv2628. Epub 2025 Jul 16.
Biohybrid actuators leveraging living muscle tissue offer the potential to replicate natural motion for biomedical and robotic applications. However, challenges such as limited force output and inefficient force transfer at tissue interfaces persist. The myotendinous junction, a specialized interface connecting muscle to the tendon, plays a critical role in efficient force transmission for movement. Engineering muscle-tendon units in vitro is essential for replicating native musculoskeletal functions in biohybrid actuators. Here, we present a three-dimensionally bioprinted system integrating skeletal muscle tissue with tendon-mimicking anchors containing fibroblasts, forming a biomimetic interdigitated myotendinous junction. Using computational models, we optimized muscle geometries to enhance deformation and force generation. The engineered system improved mechanical stability, myofiber maturation, and force transmission, generating contractile forces of up to 350 micronewtons over a 3-month period. This work highlights how biomimetic designs and mechanical optimization can advance bioactuator technologies for applications in medicine and robotics.
利用活体肌肉组织的生物杂交致动器为生物医学和机器人应用复制自然运动提供了潜力。然而，诸如有限的力输出和组织界面处低效的力传递等挑战仍然存在。肌腱连接点是连接肌肉与肌腱的特殊界面，在运动的有效力传递中起着关键作用。在体外构建肌肉-肌腱单元对于在生物杂交致动器中复制天然肌肉骨骼功能至关重要。在此，我们展示了一种三维生物打印系统，该系统将骨骼肌组织与含有成纤维细胞的肌腱模拟锚定物整合在一起，形成了仿生指状交错的肌腱连接点。使用计算模型，我们优化了肌肉几何形状以增强变形和力的产生。该工程系统提高了机械稳定性、肌纤维成熟度和力传递，在3个月的时间内产生了高达350微牛顿的收缩力。这项工作突出了仿生设计和机械优化如何推动生物致动器技术在医学和机器人领域的应用。
