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Cardiomyocyte culture - an update on the in vitro cardiovascular model and future challenges
Sreejit Parameswaran1, Sujeet Kumar, Rama Shanker Verma
1a Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0W8, Canada.
Insights
Reproducible cardiomyocyte isolation is crucial for cardiac research. This review explores using primary murine cardiomyocytes and alternatives for cardiac disease models, minimizing animal use and interspecies variability.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cell Biology
- Biomedical Research
Background:
- Reproducible cardiomyocyte isolation is essential for cardiac research as these cells do not divide.
- Current in vitro models for human adult cardiac cell biology are lacking.
- Stem cell differentiation into cardiomyocytes is inefficient, and human tissue use raises ethical concerns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the use of freshly isolated murine cardiomyocytes for cardiac research.
- To discuss alternative cardiomyocyte models to minimize animal usage and interspecies differences.
- To evaluate the utility of these models in studying cardiac pathophysiology and disease.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on cardiomyocyte isolation and culture techniques.
- Analysis of animal models (murine) for cardiac research.
- Exploration of alternative cell sources and in vitro models.
Main Results:
- Primary murine cardiomyocyte cultures offer advantages but also have limitations.
- Alternative strategies have been developed to reduce reliance on animal models.
- These alternatives aim to address interspecies differences and ethical concerns.
Conclusions:
- Freshly isolated murine cardiomyocytes remain a valuable tool, despite drawbacks.
- Alternative cardiomyocyte models are increasingly important for ethical and efficient cardiac research.
- The choice of model impacts the study of cardiac pathophysiology and disease progression.
Abstract:
The success of any work with isolated cardiomyocytes depends on the reproducibility of cell isolation, because the cells do not divide. To date, there is no suitable in vitro model to study human adult cardiac cell biology. Although embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells are able to differentiate into cardiomyocytes in vitro, the efficiency of this process is low. Isolation and expansion of human cardiomyocyte progenitor cells from cardiac surgical waste or, alternatively, from fetal heart tissue is another option. However, to overcome various issues related to human tissue usage, especially ethical concerns, researchers use large- and small-animal models to study cardiac pathophysiology. A simple model to study the changes at the cellular level is cultures of cardiomyocytes. Although primary murine cardiomyocyte cultures have their own advantages and drawbacks, alternative strategies have been developed in the last two decades to minimise animal usage and interspecies differences. This review discusses the use of freshly isolated murine cardiomyocytes and cardiomyocyte alternatives for use in cardiac disease models and other related studies.
