Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiac tissue on a thin collagen membrane with natural microstructures

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and appropriate scaffolds are of great interest in cardiac tissue engineering. In this work, we present a simple and new strategy to produce a thin collagen membrane with a natural microstructure from porcine tendons and reconstruct the functional cardiac tissues by recellularizing hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes onto the membrane, for the first time. The collagen membrane maintained its intact properties after decellularization, the composition of which was identified as collagen I. The cardiomyocytes grown on the thin membrane strongly expressed the cardiac-specific marker cardiac troponin T and exhibited the specific morphology guided by the natural microstructure of the collagen fibers. The formed cardiac tissue could maintain a strong beating function spontaneously for over one month and respond rapidly to the two types of anti-arrhythmic drugs with opposed effects. The proposed approach is very simple, and easy to operate with a low cost. The obtained thin collagen membrane with a natural microstructure is analogous to the in vivo extracellular matrix structure and functions, supporting the good function of the engineered cardiac tissue. We envision that this work would open a new way for a wide range of applications in cardiac tissue engineering, drug testing and regenerative medicine.