Optimizing muscle satellite cell sources for cultured meat: anatomical origin influences cellular properties and quality attributes

Abstract Muscle satellite cells are integral to muscle growth and regeneration, making them critical for cultured meat production. However, the influence of anatomical origin on porcine muscle satellite cells (PMSCs) for food applications remains underexplored. Here, we compared PMSCs from neck, back, and leg muscles to identify the optimal cell source for cultured meat. Transcriptomic analysis showed region-specific gene expression, including differential HOX gene expression. Neck-derived PMSCs exhibited the highest proliferation, whereas back-derived PMSCs maintained the highest PAX7 and MYOD expressions during long-term culture. Back-derived PMSCs also exhibited superior differentiation, forming thicker myotubes with the highest fusion index, favoring fast-twitch fibers, and showing the highest protein content. In contrast, neck-derived PMSCs favored slow-twitch fibers and displayed the lowest protein content. These findings underscore the significance of cell source selection in optimizing muscle tissue engineering for scalable cultured meat production, contributing to the advancement of sustainable and alternative food technologies.