| abstract |
The invention relates to a device for standardizing myoblast differentiation into myotubes, comprising a substrate ( 1 ) and at least one cell-adhesive pattern ( 2 ) for culturing myoblasts on said substrate, wherein:n said pattern ( 2 ) has an elongated surface comprising a central region ( 2 C) and two lateral regions ( 2 L) extending from said central region in both directions along a longitudinal axis of the pattern with a contour discontinuity between the central region ( 2 C) and each lateral region ( 2 L), the ratio between the maximum width (W C ) of the central region ( 2 C) and the maximum width (W L ) of the lateral regions ( 2 L) is greater than or equal to 2, the ratio between the length (L) and the maximum width (W C ) of the pattern ( 2 ) is less than or equal to 4. nn The invention is also a method for standardizing myoblast differentiation into myotubes, comprising:n (i) providing a device as described above, (ii) depositing myoblasts on at least one cell-adhesive pattern of said device, (iii) culturing said myoblasts in a differentiation medium during a determined incubation time so as to promote cell differentiation into myotubes and constrain elongation of the myotubes on the cell-adhesive pattern. nn Another aspect of the invention is a method for compounds screening in cell-based assays related to myotoxicity and drug discovery. |