Current muscle tissue engineering trends lead towards the development of skeletal muscle regeneration techniques over smooth muscle or cardiac muscle regeneration. A current trend found throughout literature is the treatment of Volumetric Muscle Loss (VML) using muscle tissue engineering techniques. VML is the result of abrupt loss of skeletal muscle due to surgical resection, trauma, or combat injuries. It has been observed that tissue grafts, the current treatment plan, do not restore full functionality or aesthetic integrity to the site of injury. Muscle tissue engineering offers an optimistic possibility for patients, as in situ, in vivo, and in vitro techniques have been proven to restore functionality to muscle tissue in the wound site. Methods being explored include acellular scaffold implantation, cell-seeded scaffold implantation, and in vitro fabrication of muscle grafts. Preliminary data from each of these methods promises a solution for patients suffering from VML.
Beyond specific technological advances in the field of muscle tissue engineering, researchers are working to establish a connection with the larger umbrella that is tissue engineering.