Nano‐ and Microfabrication for Engineering Native‐Like Muscle Tissues.

Muscle tissues are characterized by highly organized 3D structures consisting of aligned myocytes and nonmyocytes. Several nano‐ and microfabrication technologies are used to engineer native‐like muscle tissues for muscle regeneration, the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, and in vitro disease modeling. In this paper, traditional tissue engineering methods and novel nano‐/microfabrication technologies for constructing muscle tissues are reviewed. Focus is given on the effects of nano‐/microfabricated architectures on the alignment of cells. In addition, issues of vascularization and cell–cell interaction in fabricating muscle tissues are discussed. Finally, common challenges of fabricating three types of muscle tissues and specific requirements for each type are reviewed, and perspectives are given for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]