C-Phycocyanin-Derived Peptide-Conjugated, Chemically Crosslinked Chitosan/Carrageenan Hydrogels for Myoblast Cultivation in Reduced Serum Conditions

Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is commonly added to cell culture media, but for cultivated meat production to become truly sustainable, ethical and affordable, an alternative to it is necessary. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how myoblasts could be cultivated in reduced-serum media using animal-free scaffolds. Novel chitosan/carrageenan hydrogels were developed and conjugated with peptides obtained by digestion of C-phycocyanin from cyanobacteria Arthrospira platensis, their physico-chemical properties were assessed, and their ability to serve as scaffolds for myoblast cultivation in reduced-serum media was examined. These hydrogels were found to possess suitable physical characteristics to serve as scaffolds for cell culture, and it was demonstrated that their use made quail muscle clone 7 (QM7) cell cultivation possible in reduced-FBS media. These hydrogels, therefore, are a promising candidate for use as scaffolds in future cultivated meat production studies.