Related Experiment Videos
Tissue engineering of a differentiated cardiac muscle construct.
W-H Zimmermann1, K Schneiderbanger, P Schubert
1Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
Circulation Research
|February 9, 2002
Summary
Engineered heart tissues (EHTs) from neonatal rat cardiac myocytes, when mechanically stretched, mimic adult myocardium. These EHTs show promising potential for cardiac research and regenerative medicine applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cardiovascular Research
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Cardiac tissue engineering is an emerging field.
- Suitability of engineered heart tissue (EHT) depends on syncytoid formation, myocyte differentiation, contractile function, and electrophysiological properties.
- Neonatal rat cardiac myocytes are used to create EHTs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate that cardiac myocytes from neonatal rats can form EHTs with hallmarks of differentiated myocardium.
- To compare the morphological and functional characteristics of EHTs with native heart tissue.
- To assess the potential of EHTs for in vitro studies and tissue replacement therapy.
Main Methods:
- Cardiac myocytes from neonatal rats were mixed with collagen I and matrix factors.
- The mixture was cast in circular molds and subjected to phasic mechanical stretch.
- Histological, confocal, and electron microscopy analyses were performed.
- Contractile function and electrophysiological properties were measured.
Main Results:
- Ring-shaped EHTs were reconstituted, displaying features of differentiated myocardium, resembling adult rather than immature native tissue.
- EHTs showed highly organized sarcomeres, cell junctions (adherens, gap, desmosomes), a T-tubular system, and basement membranes.
- EHTs exhibited contractile characteristics of native myocardium and stable electrophysiological properties.
Conclusions:
- EHTs represent highly differentiated cardiac tissue constructs.
- These EHTs possess significant potential for in vitro studies of cardiac function.
- EHTs show promise as a material for tissue replacement therapy.