Plant-derived leaf vein scaffolds for the sustainable production of dog cell-cultured meat

Animal cell culture technology in the production of slaughter-free meat offers ethical advantages with regards to animal welfare, rendering it a more socially acceptable approach for dog meat production. In this study, edible plant-derived scaffold was used as a platform for cell expansion to construct cell-cultured dog meat slices. Primary dog skeletal muscle satellite cells (MSCs) and adipose stem cells (ASCs) were isolated and cultured as seed cells, and 3D spheroid culture in vitro promoted MSCs and ASCs myogenic and adipogenic differentiation, respectively. Natural leaf veins (NLV) were produced as edible mesh scaffolds to create 3D engineered dog muscle and fat tissues. After MSCs and ASCs adhered, proliferated and differentiated on the NLV scaffolds, and muscle and fat slices were produced with cultured dog muscle fibers and adipocytes, respectively. These findings demonstrate the potential of plant-derived NLV scaffolds in the production of cultured dog meat. •Natural leaf vein scaffolds served as a novel substrate for cultured meat.•Dog skeletal muscle satellite cells and adipose stem cells proliferated and differentiated on the scaffolds.•Provided a sustainable dog meat production method without animal slaughter.