Recently, Chinese first centimeter-scale tissue-like large yellow croaker fillets was successfully synthetized through technology of stem cell isolation, industrialized cultivation and structural construction, announced by the team of Professor Donghong Liu, the director of the Future Food Laboratory of the Innovation Center, and Professor Jun Chen from College of Life Science, Zhejiang University, together with the team of Academician Beiwei Zhu from Dalian Polytechnic University.

Using the large yellow croaker as the research object, researchers isolated its muscle and fat stem cells, then induced muscle stem cell by regulating two types of signaling pathways. Meanwhile, a three-dimensional culture of muscle fiber bundle is made based on the bionic construction of fish muscle scaffolds, leading to the manufacture of tissue-like cell culture fish meat was realized.

The cell-cultured large yellow croaker fillet has no difference with its natural equivalent after 17 days of cultivation, since they have similar smell, color and gumminess. “The high-quality protein and unsaturated fatty acids contained in marine fish have positive effects on human health. In the future, this technology may provide broader support for the supply of meat and animal protein on the human table, and it will also contribute to the protection of marine fish resources.” said Donghong Liu.

This achievement was published recently, and the key technology of cell-cultured fillets was identified as the international advanced level at appraisal meeting organized by China National Light Industry Council.