Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) as an alternative to the generation of satellite cells

• Grant number: 22/14534-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: April 03, 2023
• End date: March 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Fabiana Fernandes Bressan
• Grantee: Kaiana Recchia
• Supervisor: Kristine Freude
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
• Associated to the scholarship: 20/15122-8 - Induced pluripotent cells as an alternative for viable gametes production, BP.DR

Abstract

Alternative and innovative technologies in regenerative medicine are widely desirable. In vitro technologies are the key to regenerative medicine and can also be an alternative to animal protein production, enabling, for example, the development of cell-based meat an innovative technology in the food system. The main step in the in vitro study of muscle diseases requires the culture of satellite cells (SCs) isolated from biopsies, also for cell-based meat production. However, their invasive collection and culture imply barriers to animal welfare and limited production. Because of the possible recapitulation of in vitro myogenesis, which has already been described in the human model for biomedical research, the plasticity of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can contribute in a variety of ways to the basic and applied fields. Hence, bovine iPSCs (iPSCs) could be used for in vitro myogenesis, leading to the development of new techniques for in vitro animal protein production, and contribute to regenerative medicine. Thus, the present study proposes the non-invasive or less invasive collection and in vitro isolation of cells derived from urine (urine-derived cells, UDCs) and blood (peripheral mononuclear blood cells, PBMCs), respectively, its reprogramming to a state of pluripotency (biPSCs) using a non-integrative (episomal) methodology, and finally, the biPSCs will be differentiated into bSCs (bovine SCs) for further use in regenerative medicine or for advanced food technologies. The cells generated will be characterized regarding pluripotency and muscular markers, RT-qPCR and in vitro differentiation into myofibers. This work will provide significant insights into the development of in vitro myogenesis in the animal model to be applied to translational studies in both regenerative medicine and animal production. (AU)