# 3D Printing of Precision Scaffolds for Volumetric Muscle Tissue Regeneration

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2020 · $194,552

## Abstract

Skeletal muscle has a unique capacity for repair after injury. This regenerative response fails in volumetric
muscle loss injuries (VML), where a large volume of the muscle is damaged or removed, usually due to acute
trauma. Current treatments for VML injury are limited, and often result in scar tissue formation and limited
muscle function. Interest has been shown in developing myogenic scaffolds for VML repair. Clinical studies
have investigated the use of decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) laminated sheets derived from porcine
bladder or small intestine submucosa (SIS) as acellular scaffolds for VML repair. ECM contains vital biologic
factors (i.e. growth factors, basement membrane proteins, cryptic peptides) thought to be involved in the
recruitment of progenitor cells, regulation of macrophage polarization, and tissue regeneration. VML injured
muscles in animals and in humans implanted with dECM scaffolds have shown some muscle regeneration,
including neovascularization and reinnervation in the scaffold, although the capacity of these muscles to
generate force is still diminished compared to uninjured controls. Skeletal muscle exemplifies the structure-
function relationship in biology; the capacity of a muscle to generate isometric force is directly related to the
arrangement of fibers within a muscle. Histological examination of muscle in dECM scaffolds indicate poor fiber
alignment with native muscle orientation, likely due to the lack of organized microstructure in the original dECM
scaffolds, which is difficult to control using current fabrication techniques.
We have developed a novel microscale continuous optical bioprinting (μCOB) platform, which can be used to
rapidly fabricate scaffolds with tissue informed microstructure and natural biomaterials (e.g. dECM) in 3D in a
matter of seconds, providing a significant time and resolution advantage over traditional extrusion-based 3D
printers. We broadly hypothesize that a scaffold consisting of dECM and an elastic, biocompatible material
(acrylated poly (glycerol sebacate); PGSA) can promote organized muscle regeneration in a rat model of VML.
In Aim 1, we propose to synthesize and fine-tune the formulation of PGSA, combined with dECM, to create an
elastic, myogenic scaffold, with muscle informed microstructure using μCOB. In Aim 2, we will evaluate the
capacity of the PGSA+dECM scaffold to regenerate skeletal muscle in a rat model of VML compared to tissue
engineering solutions being explored in the clinic (laminated dECM sheets) at acute (2 weeks) and sub-acute
(4 weeks) time points. 3D printing in healthcare represents the pinnacle for patient centric rehabilitation. This
platform allows for physicians to design implants with any geometry, which can be directly extracted from
standard presurgical imaging, to customize treatment for a patient. Future studies will evaluate the efficacy of
this scaffold in larger animal models over longer time periods, with the long-term goal of cli...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9841894
- **Project number:** 5R21AR074763-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** SHAOCHEN CHEN
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $194,552
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-01-01 → 2021-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9841894

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9841894, 3D Printing of Precision Scaffolds for Volumetric Muscle Tissue Regeneration (5R21AR074763-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9841894. Licensed CC0.

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