A soft, ultra-tough and multifunctional artificial muscle for volumetric muscle loss treatment.

ABSTRACT: The escalating prevalence of skeletal muscle disorders highlights the critical need for innovative treatments for severe injuries such as volumetric muscle loss. Traditional treatments, such as autologous transplants, are constrained by limited availability and current scaffolds often fail to meet complex clinical needs. This study introduces a new approach to volumetric muscle loss treatment by using a shape-memory polymer (SMP) based on block copolymers of perfluoropolyether and polycaprolactone diol. This SMP mimics the biomechanical properties of natural muscle, exhibiting a low elastic modulus (2-6 MPa), high tensile strength (72.67 ± 3.19 MPa), exceptional toughness (742.02 ± 23.98 MJ m^-3) and superior biocompatibility, thereby enhancing skeletal muscle tissue integration

SUBMITTER: Qiu PF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11737398 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature