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Developing 3D Organized Human Cardiac Tissue within a Microfluidic Platform
Published on: June 15, 2021
Microfluidic cardiac circulation model (microCCM) for functional cardiomyocyte studies
Mai-Dung Nguyen1, Guruprasad Giridharan, Sumanth D Prabhu
1Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40208, USA.
Insights
Researchers developed a novel Microfluidic Cardiac Circulation Model (microCCM) to study how heart cells respond to mechanical stress. This innovative model aids in understanding cardiovascular disease mechanisms and developing new treatments.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Science
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cellular Mechanobiology
Background:
- Cardiomyocytes respond to mechanical stress, crucial for heart development and function.
- Disrupted stress-sensing in cardiomyocytes leads to cardiac dysfunction, remodeling, and heart failure.
- Current in-vitro models lack the physiological relevance needed to study cardiovascular disease (CVD) pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a physiologically relevant in-vitro model for studying CVD.
- To investigate signaling mechanisms underlying cardiac dysfunction and heart failure.
Main Methods:
- Development of a Microfluidic Cardiac Circulation Model (microCCM).
- Integration of mechanically loaded cardiomyocytes with fluid flow and a circulation network.
- Utilizing the microCCM to simulate hemodynamic loading and unloading conditions.
Main Results:
- The microCCM successfully integrates mechanical loading and fluid flow with cardiomyocytes.
- The model provides a platform to study cardiomyocyte responses to mechanical stress.
- Enables investigation of signaling pathways in cardiovascular disease pathogenesis.
Conclusions:
- The microCCM represents a significant advancement in creating physiologically relevant in-vitro models for cardiac research.
- This model facilitates a deeper understanding of the mechanisms driving cardiovascular diseases.
- Offers potential for improved diagnostics and therapeutic strategies for heart conditions.
Abstract:
Physiological heart development and cardiac function rely on the response of cardiomyocytes to mechanical stress signals during hemodynamic loading and unloading. These stresses manifest themselves via changes in cell structure, contractile function and gene expression. Disruption of this well balanced stress-sensing machinery due to various pathological conditions results in contractile dysfunction, cardiac remodeling and heart failure. In order to study signaling mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of various manifestations of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), there is a need for physiologically relevant in-vitro models. To accomplish this goal, we have developed a Microfluidic Cardiac Circulation Model (microCCM) that integrates mechanically loaded cardiomyocytes with fluid flow and a circulation network.
