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Updated: Jul 17, 2026
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In Vitro Assessment of Cardiac Function Using Skinned Cardiomyocytes
Published on: June 22, 2020
Comparative Quantification of Contractile Force of Cardiac Muscle Using a Micro-mechanical Cell Force Measurement
Seokchang Ryu1, Byungkyu Kim, Deokho Kim
1Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Korea and Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea (e-mail: seok@kist.re.kr).
Summary
We developed a micro-mechanical force measurement system to quantify cardiac myocyte contractile force. This system enables real-time measurement of biological muscle actuators powered by glucose for potential robotic applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cellular Mechanics
- Robotics
Background:
- Development of cell-based robots requires precise measurement of biological muscle actuator forces.
- Glucose-powered actuators offer potential for in-vivo applications, such as in the digestive organ.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel micro-mechanical force measurement system for biological muscle actuators.
- To quantitatively measure the contractile force and frequency of cardiac myocytes in real-time.
Main Methods:
- A system comprising a micro-manipulator, force transducer with a glass probe, signal processor, inverted microscope, and video recording was utilized.
- Contractile force and frequency of cardiac myocytes were measured using the developed system.
- Cardiac myocytes were compared under different conditions, including control and micro-patterned cells.
Main Results:
- The system successfully measured the real-time contractile force and frequency of cardiac myocytes.
- Estimated contractile force of cardiac myocytes ranged from 20 to 40 N.
- A significant difference in contractile force was observed between control and micro-patterned cardiac myocytes.
Conclusions:
- The developed micro-mechanical force measurement system is effective for quantifying cardiac myocyte function.
- Quantitative data on myocyte force generation can inform the design of cell-based robotic systems.
- Micro-patterning influences cardiac myocyte contractile force, suggesting potential for directed tissue engineering.
