Mechanically stimulated contraction of engineered cardiac constructs using a microcantilever

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• The heart's mechanical and electrical activities are coupled, crucial for normal function and understanding arrhythmias.
• Investigating mechanoelectrical coupling in 3-D cardiac models is vital for disease modeling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present and validate a novel 3-D in vitro platform for studying cardiac mechanoelectrical coupling.
• To analyze the effects of mechanical stimulation parameters on myocardial contraction.

Main Methods:

• Constructs of cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts in extracellular matrix were created.
• Microfabricated tissue gauges measured in situ contractile function.
• Atomic force microscopy indentation simulated mechanical stimulation at varying depths and frequencies.

Main Results:

• Indentation depth and frequency did not significantly alter contraction magnitude.
• Increased indentation frequency significantly enhanced contractile velocity.
• The platform successfully demonstrated mechanoelectrical coupling in a 3-D setting.

Conclusions:

• The developed 3-D platform is a valid tool for studying cardiac mechanoelectrical coupling.
• This model can be used to investigate the mechanisms of mechanically stimulated cardiac contraction and arrhythmias.