Simultaneous electromechanical monitoring in engineered heart tissues using a mesoscale framework

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Research
• Biomedical Engineering
• Stem Cell Technology

Background:

• Engineered heart tissues (EHTs) from human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) are vital for cardiac research.
• Current assessment methods for EHTs can be limited in scope and duration.
• There is a need for advanced platforms for noninvasive, long-term monitoring of EHTs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a flexible, 3D electronic framework for real-time, spatiotemporal analysis of EHTs.
• To enable dynamic, noninvasive, and longer-term assessments of electrophysiologic and mechanical signals in EHTs.
• To provide a platform for advanced cardiovascular studies, including drug testing and disease modeling.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a flexible, 3D electronic framework compatible with EHTs.
• Integration of multisite electrophysiologic and mechanical signal monitoring.
• Application of physiological loading conditions to EHTs.
• Real-time data acquisition and analysis under baseline and stimulated conditions.

Main Results:

• The developed framework enables real-time, spatiotemporal analysis of EHTs under physiological loading.
• Multisite measurements of electrophysiologic and mechanical signals were achieved noninvasively.
• The platform successfully tracked physiological responses to pharmacologic agents.
• Electrophysiological characteristics of reentrant arrhythmias were captured in EHTs.

Conclusions:

• The novel electronic framework provides a powerful tool for dynamic, noninvasive, and long-term assessment of EHTs.
• This platform facilitates precise analysis of signal propagation and conduction velocity in human cardiomyocyte tissues.
• It serves as a foundation for advanced cardiovascular research, drug screening, and disease modeling.