Ribosome Incorporation Transdifferentiates Chick Primary Cells and Induces Their Proliferation by Secreting Growth Factors.

Abstract

Previously, we reported that mammalian cells, specifically human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs), could be transdifferentiated by lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Later, we observed that HDFs incorporated LAB-derived ribosomes, forming the ribosome-induced cell clusters (RICs) and transdifferentiating into cells derived from all three germ layers. Based on this insight, we hypothesized that incorporating ribosomes into non-mammalian cells could reveal the universality of this mechanism and open the door to commercial applications. Our current study demonstrates that ribosome incorporation can transdifferentiate chick primary muscle-derived cells (CMCs) into adipocytes, osteoblasts, and chondrocytes. Furthermore, the culture medium supernatant from ribosome-incorporated CMCs was found to significantly enhance CMC's proliferation. RNA-seq analysis revealed that RICs-CMC exhibit increased expression of genes related to multi-lineage cell growth. In addition, we developed a novel technological shift in meat production-the "CulNet System"-which replicates organ interactions within mechanical systems for cell-cultured meat production. While significant efforts are still required to implement this technology in a cost-effective manner, we believe that combining the "CulNet System" with ribosome-incorporated multipotent cells that have prolonged culture capability could substantially improve the scalability and cost-effectiveness of cultured chicken meat production. This report highlights a promising approach for cell-culture-based meat production, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional methods.