Byeongwook Jo

Bio: Byeongwook Jo is an academic researcher from University of Tokyo. The author has contributed to research in topics: Adipose tissue & Angular acceleration. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 5 publications receiving 5 citations.

Manufacturing of animal products by the assembly of microfabricated tissues.

Abstract: With the current rapidly growing global population, the animal product industry faces challenges which not only demand drastically increased amounts of animal products but also have to limit the emission of greenhouse gases and animal waste. These issues can be solved by the combination of microfabrication and tissue engineering techniques, which utilize the microtissue as a building component for larger tissue assembly to fabricate animal products. Various methods for the assembly of microtissue have been proposed such as spinning, cell layering, and 3D bioprinting to mimic the intricate morphology and function of the in vivo animal tissues. Some of the demonstrations on cultured meat and leather-like materials present promising outlooks on the emerging field of in vitro production of animal products.

An Angular Accelerometer With High Sensitivity and Low Crosstalk Utilizing a Piezoresistive Cantilever and Spiral Liquid Channels

Abstract: This article describes an angular accelerometer with high sensitivity and low crosstalk that uses a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) piezoresistive cantilever and spiral liquid channels. The fabricated device is composed of two spiral channels aligned in parallel with the piezoresistive cantilever placed in between the channels. When angular acceleration is applied, the liquid inside the spiral channels produces an inertial force. This inertial force generates a pressure difference between the spiral channels, and that difference is measured by a piezoresistive cantilever with a high resolution of 0.01 Pa. The pressure difference causes deformation of the piezoresistive cantilever which results in resistance change. Finally, the applied angular acceleration can be calculated from the resistance change. By increasing the number of turns of the spiral channel, both high sensitivity and low crosstalk from the nontarget axis can be achieved. Our proposed device with 12.5 turns achieved a sensitivity of 0.72 mV/(rad/s2) and crosstalk of less than 2%.

Skeletal muscle-adipose co-cultured tissue fabricated using cell-laden microfibers and a hydrogel sheet

Abstract: The emerging interest in skeletal muscle tissue originates from its unique properties that control body movements. In particular, recent research advances in engineered skeletal muscle tissue have broadened the possibilities of applications in non-clinical models. However, due to the lack of adipose tissue, current engineered skeletal muscle tissue has the limitation of satisfying in vivo-like position and proportion of intermuscular fat. Adipose tissue within the skeletal muscle affects their functional properties. Here, a fabrication method for co-cultured tissue composed of skeletal muscle and adipose tissues is proposed to reproduce the functional and morphological characteristics of muscle. By implementing pre-matured adipose microfibers in a myoblast-laden hydrogel sheet, both the accumulation of large lipid droplets and control of the position of adipose tissue within the skeletal muscle tissue becomes feasible. The findings of this study provide helpful information regarding engineered skeletal muscle, which has strong potential in drug screening models. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

3D‐Printed Centrifugal Pump Driven by Magnetic Force in Applications for Microfluidics in Biological Analysis

Abstract: In recent years, microfluidic systems have been extensively utilized for biological analysis. The integration of pumps in microfluidic systems requires precise control of liquids and effort‐intensive set‐ups for multiplexed experiments. In this study, a 3D‐printed centrifugal pump driven by magnetic force is presented for microfluidics and biological analysis. The permanent magnets implemented in the centrifugal pump synchronized the rotation of the driving and operating parts. Precise control of the flow rate and a wide range and variety of flow profiles are achieved by controlling the rotational speed of the motor in the driving part. The compact size and contactless driving part allow simple set‐ups within commercially available culture dishes and tubes. It is demonstrated that the fabricated 3D‐printed centrifugal pump can induce laminar flow in a microfluidic device, perfusion culture of in vitro tissues, and alignment of cells under shear stress. This device has a high potential for applications in microfluidic devices and perfusion culture of cells.

Micro Tissue Assembly for Co-Culturing 3D Skeletal Muscle and Adipose Tissues

Abstract: This paper proposes micro tissue assembly for co-culturing 3D skeletal muscle and adipose tissues. The adipocytes encapsulated in a microfiber were cultured in advance for maturation which accumulated significantly larger size of lipid droplets compared with conventional 2D dish culture. Then, we assembled a micro tissue by placing the microfiber-based adipose tissue on a PDMS substrate with myoblast-laden collagen solution covering on the top. The assembled micro tissue was then co-cultured for 5 days. We found that the skeletal muscle tissue fabricated in the micro tissue bundled up adipose tissue forming in-vivo like composition. Our skeletal muscle and adipose tissue assembly not only gives a promising outlook for the micro physiological system but also tools for development studies or the cultured meat industry.

Acceleration Sensors: Sensing Mechanisms, Emerging Fabrication Strategies, Materials, and Applications

Abstract: Accelerometers are among the most mature sensor technologies with a broad range of applications in multiple fields and industries. They represent the most widely used microelectromechanical system ...

Bioengineering Outlook on Cultivated Meat Production

Abstract: Cultured meat (also referred to as cultivated meat or cell-based meat)—CM—is fabricated through the process of cellular agriculture (CA), which entails application of bioengineering, i.e., tissue engineering (TE) principles to the production of food. The main TE principles include usage of cells, grown in a controlled environment provided by bioreactors and cultivation media supplemented with growth factors and other needed nutrients and signaling molecules, and seeded onto the immobilization elements—microcarriers and scaffolds that provide the adhesion surfaces necessary for anchor-dependent cells and offer 3D organization for multiple cell types. Theoretically, many solutions from regenerative medicine and biomedical engineering can be applied in CM-TE, i.e., CA. However, in practice, there are a number of specificities regarding fabrication of a CM product that needs to fulfill not only the majority of functional criteria of muscle and fat TE, but also has to possess the sensory and nutritional qualities of a traditional food component, i.e., the meat it aims to replace. This is the reason that bioengineering aimed at CM production needs to be regarded as a specific scientific discipline of a multidisciplinary nature, integrating principles from biomedical engineering as well as from food manufacturing, design and development, i.e., food engineering. An important requirement is also the need to use as little as possible of animal-derived components in the whole CM bioprocess. In this review, we aim to present the current knowledge on different bioengineering aspects, pertinent to different current scientific disciplines but all relevant for CM engineering, relevant for muscle TE, including different cell sources, bioreactor types, media requirements, bioprocess monitoring and kinetics and their modifications for use in CA, all in view of their potential for efficient CM bioprocess scale-up. We believe such a review will offer a good overview of different bioengineering strategies for CM production and will be useful to a range of interested stakeholders, from students just entering the CA field to experienced researchers looking for the latest innovations in the field.

Advances in microfabrication technologies in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Abstract: BACKGROUND Tissue engineering provides various strategies to fabricate an appropriate microenvironment to support the repair and regeneration of lost or damaged tissues. In this matter, several technologies have been implemented to construct close-to-native three-dimensional structures at numerous physiological scales, which are essential to confer the functional characteristics of living tissues. METHODS In this article, we review a variety of microfabrication technologies that are currently utilized for several tissue engineering applications, such as soft lithography, microneedles, templated and self-assembly of microstructures, microfluidics, fiber spinning, and bioprinting. RESULTS These technologies have considerably helped us to precisely manipulate cells or cellular constructs for the fabrication of biomimetic tissues and organs. Although currently available tissues still lack some crucial functionalities, including vascular networks, innervation, and lymphatic system, microfabrication strategies are being proposed to overcome these issues. Moreover, the microfabrication techniques that have progressed to the preclinical stage are also discussed. CONCLUSIONS This article aims to highlight the advantages and drawbacks of each technique and areas of further research for a more comprehensive and evolving understanding of microfabrication techniques in terms of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.