Improving regeneration of traumatic muscle injuries through an activated muscle graft

Skeletal muscle plays a vital role in movement, body temperature regulation, and overall metabolism. Injuries to skeletal muscle can lead to immobility and an increased risk of health problems and mortality. Among these injuries, trauma to the arms or legs is particularly concerning and can result in volumetric muscle loss (VML), which involves the permanent loss of muscle tissue and leads to functional impairments. A promising regenerative treatment for VML is the use of transplanted minced muscle grafts; recent studies in animal models have shown encouraging results with this approach. This project aims to enhance these findings by exploring whether stimulating the muscle grafts with contractions before transplantation—referred to as “priming”—can improve outcomes, such as muscle strength and function. If successful, this research could pave the way for a new regenerative medicine technique that significantly improves the quality of life for patients suffering from severe muscle injuries or disorders.