Functional screening of intracardiac cell transplants using two-photon fluorescence microscopy

Although the adult mammalian myocardium exhibits a limited ability to undergo regenerative growth, its intrinsic renewal rate is insufficient to compensate for myocyte loss during cardiac disease. Transplantation of donor cardiomyocytes or cardiomyogenic stem cells is considered a promising strategy for reconstitution of cardiac mass, provided the engrafted cells functionally integrate with host myocardium and actively contribute to its contractile force. The authors previously developed a two-photon fluorescence microscopy-based assay that allows in situ screening of donor cell function after intracardiac delivery of the cells. This report reviews the techniques of two-photon fluorescence microscopy and summarizes its application for quantifying the extent to which a variety of donor cell types stably and functionally couple with the recipient myocardium.