Mechanically programming anisotropy in engineered muscle with actuating extracellular matrices
Living cells embedded in an extracellular matrix sense and respond to mechanical stimuli in their environment. We have developed a method for magnetic matrix actuation (MagMA) enabling dynamic, non-invasive mechanical stimulation of tissues. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, we show that MagMA programs the alignment of skeletal muscle fibers with downstream functional effects on the global synchrony of muscle contraction. Precisely controlling muscle morphology and force generation is of significant importance in applications ranging from regenerative medicine to robotics.