"In vitro" is a latin phrase whose literal translation is "within the glass." This term is used in the English language to describe a process which occurs outside of a living organism. Within the context of muscle tissue engineering, the term "in vitro" applies to the seeding of cells into a biomaterial scaffold with growth factors and nutrients, then culturing these constructs until a functional construct, such as myofibres, is developed. These developed constructs are then implanted into the wound site with the expectation that they will continue to proliferate and integrate into host muscle tissue. The goal of in vitro muscle tissue engineering is to increase the functionality of the tissue before it is ever implanted into the body, thus increasing mechanical properties and potential to thrive in the host body.
Abdulghani & Mitchell describe in vitro muscle tissue engineering as a concept with utilizes the same basic strategies of in vivo tissue engineering. The difference between the two methods, however, is the development of a fully functional tissue engineered muscle graft (TEMG) that occurs in the in vitro technique. In vitro muscle tissue engineering includes the seeding of cells onto a biomaterial scaffold, but goes a step further by adding growth factors and biochemical and biophysical cues to promote cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, and finally regeneration into a functional muscle tissue construct. Typically, in vitro scaffolds contain specific surface features which guide the direction of cell proliferation. They are usually fibrous with aligned pores as these features encourage cell adhesion during regeneration. Beyond the types of scaffolds used in this technique, a largely important aspect of this technique is the electrical and mechanical stimulation which mimic the natural regeneration environment and encourage the expansion of intracellular communication pathways. Before TEMGs are introduced into the wound defect, they musts be vascularized to promote proper integration with the host tissue. To achieve vascularization, researchers typically seed a scaffold with multiple cell types in order to develop both muscle tissue and vascular pathways. This process prevents rejection of the TEMG upon implantation as it is able to effectively thrive in the host tissue environment. There is always a risk of immune rejection when implanting fully developed tissue, though, so this method tissue regeneration is the most closely monitored post-implantation.
The in vitro muscle tissue engineering technique is used to create muscle tissue with more successful functional and mechanical properties. According to Carnes & Pins in Skeletal Muscle Tissue Engineering: Biomaterials-Based Strategies for the Treatment of Volumetric Muscle Loss, this approach develops a microenvironment that is more conducive to enhancing tissue regeneration upon implantation, thus restoring full functionality to patients.