Enhancing collagen synthesis in porcine smooth muscle cells for cultured meat

Cultured meat production has made significant progress, but its texture still differs from that of conventional meat. Since collagen plays a key role in meat texture, smooth muscle cells (SMCs), known for producing high levels of collagen, may provide a way to address this issue. This study aimed to improve the culture conditions for SMCs to enhance collagen synthesis. SMCs isolated from the aorta of Berkshire piglets showed high purity, as confirmed by SMC-specific marker analysis. The SMCs were cultured on dishes coated with various materials. Fibronectin-coated dishes showed significantly higher cell proliferation than porcine gelatin (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in extracellular matrix (ECM)-related gene expression (p > 0.05). Since porcine gelatin is more cost-effective, it was chosen despite its lower proliferation rate. Supplementation with 250 μM ascorbic acid 2-phosphate (AA2P) in the culture medium significantly increased both the proliferation rate and ECM-related gene expression (p < 0.05). Higher fetal bovine serum (FBS, 10%) increased collagen content compared to lower FBS (2%, p < 0.05). Using porcine gelatin as a coating material, AA2P supplementation, and a higher concentration of FBS effectively enhanced collagen synthesis. Although, this provides a promising foundation for improving the texture of cultured meat by enhancing collagen production. Further three-dimensional (3D) culture studies of SMCs are needed to verify the potential for actual texture improvement.