Health

Japanese researchers develop artificial circulatory system for improved cultured meat

Friday, 25 April 2025 12:12AM UTC

A team led by Professor Shoji Takeuchi at the University of Tokyo has created a bioreactor mimicking a circulatory system to enhance nutrient distribution in lab-grown meat, enabling the production of more realistic and larger cultured meat cuts.

A team of Japanese researchers led by Professor Shoji Takeuchi at the University of Tokyo has announced a significant advancement in the field of cultivated meat production. The group has developed a novel technology that imitates a circulatory system to evenly distribute nutrients throughout lab-grown meat, overcoming one of the primary challenges in producing larger, whole cuts of cultured meat.

The breakthrough involved the successful cultivation of small chicken pieces measuring approximately 1 by 2 centimetres, resembling nugget-style portions. According to Professor Takeuchi, the biofabrication of whole cuts of cultured meat is particularly challenging because it requires the formation of densely packed and highly aligned muscle fibres over lengths greater than a few centimetres. These structural features are essential to replicating the texture and flavour of traditional meat.

To achieve this, the research team designed a bioreactor system in which the meat grows within a gel that is evenly permeated by hollow fibres, effectively mimicking a circulatory network. This allows nutrients to be distributed uniformly during the growth process, encouraging the development of muscle fibres that closely resemble those found in conventionally farmed meat. As a result, the cultivated protein exhibits improved texture and taste.

Currently, the hollow fibres used in this method need to be removed after cultivation, but future iterations may incorporate edible cellulose versions, eliminating the need for removal. Moreover, the integration of artificial blood is anticipated to enhance nutrient and oxygen transport, enabling the production of even larger pieces of cultivated meat.

The Good Food Institute reports that nearly 200 companies worldwide are engaged in developing cultivated meat and related technologies, with over USD 3.1 billion invested in the sector. However, scaling up production remains a complex technical hurdle despite recent scientific advancements. Professor Derek Stewart of the James Hutton Institute’s Advanced Plant Growth Centre described the University of Tokyo’s development as an "elegant" and "transformative" approach that could pave the way for truly scalable cultivated meat in the future.

Beyond the food industry, Professor Takeuchi’s team highlighted the broader potential applications of their artificial circulatory system. It could, for instance, facilitate the large-scale growth of replacement organs, offering promising benefits for regenerative and transplant medicine.

This advancement represents a crucial step forward in cultivated meat technology, contributing to ongoing efforts to develop sustainable and scalable alternatives to conventional animal agriculture.

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/us/national/science/2025/04/18/japanese-researchers-produce-lab-grown-chicken-nuggets- - This article supports the claim that Japanese researchers, led by Professor Shoji Takeuchi, have created lab-grown chicken using a system that mimics a circulatory system, paving the way for larger cuts of meat.
https://humanprogress.org/winner-winner-lab-made-dinner-team-grows-nugget-sized-chicken-chunk/ - It corroborates the size of the lab-grown chicken pieces, measuring around 7 cm long, 4 cm wide, and 2.25 cm thick, which is about the size of a chicken nugget.
https://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/breaking-nugget-news-japanese-scientists-create-lab-growth-chicken-with-circulatory-system/ - This article details the use of a bioreactor with hollow fibers acting as veins, allowing for the distribution of nutrients and oxygen, which is key to producing larger pieces of cultivated meat.
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1080163 - This release explains how the team's approach enables the production of structured meat similar to whole cuts, using a perfusable hollow fiber bioreactor that mimics a circulatory system.
https://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2023/12/07/3-1-billion-in-cultivated-meat-until-november-good-news-and-bad/ - This article might be used to discuss the investment and interest in the cultivated meat sector, though it doesn't specifically mention the Good Food Institute's current figures, it highlights the overall investment trend.
https://gfi.org/report/cultivated-meat-landscape-2020/ - Although not directly from the Good Food Institute's latest reports, this URL provides context on the growing interest and investment in cultivated meat technologies, aligning with the sector's expansion.
https://plantbasednews.org/news/alternative-protein/cultivated-meat-breakthrough/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 9

Notes: The narrative mentions recent breakthroughs and current developments in the field of cultivated meat, suggesting it is up-to-date. There are no clear indications that the information is recycled from older articles.

Quotes check

Score: 5

Notes: There is a quote from Professor Derek Stewart but no direct link to an original source. Given the context, it appears to be a potentially new quote, but this cannot be verified without further information.

Source reliability

Score: 7

Notes: Plant Based News is a focused publication with a clear agenda related to plant-based and alternative protein news. While it provides detailed coverage of relevant topics, it is not a mainstream news source like BBC or Reuters.

Plausability check

Score: 8

Notes: The claims about cultivating meat by mimicking a circulatory system are plausible given current advancements in biotechnology and bioengineering. However, scaling up production and integrating new materials like edible cellulose could pose significant challenges.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary: The narrative presents a plausible advancement in cultivated meat technology, with recent developments in biofabrication. While it mentions a transformative approach, the scaling and practical application remain uncertain. The source is specialized and provides detailed coverage of relevant topics, but it's not widely recognized as a traditional news authority. Further verification on quotes and specific technological claims would enhance confidence.

cultivated meat
food technology
sustainability