SYDNEY, July 11 (Xinhua) — Australian scientists have unveiled an innovative method that uses algae to accelerate and improve the cultivation of mammalian cells.
The findings could benefit tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and the production of lab-grown meat with accelerated growth of 3D tissues and skin grafts, according to researchers from Australia’s University of Queensland (UQ).
Researchers used the Queensland algae Chlorella BDH-1 to co-cultivate with mammalian cells, enabling muscle cells to grow faster, live longer, and need fewer expensive additives, said a UQ statement released on Thursday.
“The algae act like tiny life-support systems that can solve multiple problems at once,” said the study’s lead author, Melanie Oey, research officer at UQ’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience.
The tiny life-support systems functioned by algae provide oxygen and remove waste, roles that blood performs in the body but are missing in typical lab environments, Oey said.
Lab tests showed over 80 percent faster cell growth, up to three times the usable cells, and longer-lasting cultures, while halving the need for animal cells for a more ethical, sustainable approach, said the study published in Biotechnology Journal.
The algae-assisted method could also lower the cost and environmental impact of lab-grown meat, making it a more affordable and eco-friendly protein source that benefits animal welfare, the environment, and food security, Oey said.
Moreover, Chlorella BDH-1 algae can help grow organoids for drug testing, reducing animal testing, and boosting pharmaceutical manufacturing efficiency. Because they don’t consume glucose, these algae don’t compete with mammalian cells for nutrients, she said. โ