Microfluidic cell carriers for cultured meat

Abstract

Cultured meat aims to produce meat mass from cell culture instead of conventional livestock slaughtering. Due to anchorage-dependent and 3D culturing manner of cells, cell carriers are critical in cultured meat. Various cell carriers have been used for expansion of seed cells and cultured meat tissue construction, such as commercial microcarriers, electrospray microspheres, and 3D-printed microfibers, but facing suboptimal effect of cell growth and specific differentiation. Compared to traditional methods, microfluidics can purposefully fabricate cell carriers with diverse structures and components, thereby achieving adequate simulation of natural muscle. Research has shown that microfluidic fibrous carriers possessed excellent effect in cultured meat tissue construction. This review overviews application and potential of microfluidic cell carriers in cultured meat. Starting with introduction of materials for carrier construction, we discuss limitations of traditional cell carriers and focus on microfluidic carrier in cultured meat. Finally, we present challenges and perspectives of microfluidics for cultured meat.