Training in the 3D Muscle-on-a-Chip Model

Summary of research 

The development of a drug is a long and costly process. An important step in this process is testing the drug in the laboratory using cell models and animals. However, cells and animals often do not respond to medications the same way humans do. Many drugs that show promising results in the laboratory fail to have the desired effect in humans. Therefore, in previous research, the 3D muscle was developed. This is a small living human muscle model. The 3D muscle can move and contract, just like a real muscle. Additionally, the 3D muscles are connected to a chip that can measure the movements. The 3D muscle – or ‘muscle-on-a-chip’ – represents a significant advancement in research on muscle diseases and potential treatments.

The muscle-on-a-chip model being developed in this and previous studies allows researchers to create muscles from individual patients. In the first version of this system, only one muscle could be measured at a time. Now, the researchers can measure the muscle strength of 24 mini-muscles simultaneously. In this study, the researchers are developing new components for the system so that after the study, they can measure 96 muscles at once.
A second goal of the research is to determine the effect of training on the quality of the muscles. Just like in the body, the principle of ‘use it or lose it’ applies. With inactivity, muscle mass and strength quickly decrease. By testing various training programs on 3D muscles from people with FSHD (Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy) and Pompe disease, the researchers can observe what happens at the molecular level in the muscles during movement.

Awarded grant, amount: Prinses Beatrix Spierfonds & Health~Holland, €427,035