Treatment of volumetric muscle loss in female rats with biomimetic sponges

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate whether biomimetic sponges could enhance muscle recovery in female rats suffering from volumetric muscle loss (VML) injury. VML is a debilitating condition that results in irreversible deficits in muscle mass and function, frequently leading to permanent disability. Previous research demonstrated that biomimetic sponge scaffolds effectively promoted functional muscle regeneration in male rodent models. Here, we report that biomimetic sponge treatment significantly improved muscle mass, function, and innervation in female rats with VML injuries. This observation is supported by increased contractile tissue deposition in the defect area and greater cross-sectional area (CSA) of type 1 and type 2B myofibers in the sponge-treated muscles relative to untreated muscles. Collectively, our findings highlight the potential of biomimetic sponge therapy as a promising strategy for VML repair.