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Related Concept Videos

Structure of Cardiac Muscles01:13

Structure of Cardiac Muscles

Cardiac muscle, or myocardium, is a specialized type of muscle found exclusively in the heart. Its unique structural and functional characteristics enable the heart to perform its vital role of pumping blood throughout the body continuously and rhythmically. The cardiac muscle cells, or cardiomyocytes, possess an endomysium and perimysium but do not have an epimysium.
Compared to skeletal muscles, cardiac muscle cells are small and mostly have a single nucleus. Additionally, they are usually...
Specialized Characteristics of Cardiac Muscles01:27

Specialized Characteristics of Cardiac Muscles

The primary role of cardiac muscles is to propel blood throughout the cardiovascular system. The cardiac muscle cells, or cardiomyocytes, exhibit specialized characteristics that allow them to perform this function.
Cardiac muscle cells are smaller than skeletal muscles, averaging 10–20 mm in diameter and 50–100 mm in length. However, they have large energy demands for continuous contraction and relaxation. This energy is almost exclusively derived from aerobic metabolism of energy reserves in...
Layers of the Heart Wall01:15

Layers of the Heart Wall

The heart wall comprises three distinct layers: the epicardium, myocardium, and endocardium. The outermost layer, the epicardium, is the visceral layer of the serous pericardium, featuring a thin, transparent mesothelial surface and an inner layer of areolar connective tissue with fat deposits that increase with age.
The myocardium, the thickest layer, consists of cardiac muscle cells interconnected by intercalated discs and crisscrossing connective tissue fibers. These muscle fibers contract...
Development of the Heart01:27

Development of the Heart

The development of the human heart, a crucial organ, commences from the mesoderm on the 18th or 19th day after fertilization. This process initiates in the cardiogenic area, a group of mesodermal cells at the embryo's head end, which evolves into elongated strands known as cardiogenic cords. These cords undergo a transformation to form hollow-centered endocardial tubes.
As the embryo undergoes lateral folding, these paired tubes approach each other, merging into a single primitive heart tube by...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Cardiac Muscle-cell Based Actuator and Self-stabilizing Biorobot - PART 1
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Soft Robotic Heart Formed with a Myocardial Band for Cardiac Functions.

Daiki Ueda1, Koichi Suzumori1, Hiroyuki Nabae1

  • 1Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, Institute of Science Tokyo, Meguro-ku, Japan.

Soft Robotics
|February 5, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Researchers created a soft robotic heart model based on myocardial band theory. This innovative model mimics real heart function, offering potential insights into heart failure and surgical treatments.

Keywords:
artificial heartartificial musclebiomimeticsmyocardial band

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Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Soft Robotics

Background:

  • Understanding the heart's ejection fraction mechanisms is vital for medicine.
  • The myocardial contracting ratio is ~20%, while ejection fraction exceeds 60%.
  • Current knowledge of cardiac kinetic mechanisms remains incomplete.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a functional model of the heart based on myocardial band theory.
  • To replicate ventricular structure and function using artificial muscles.
  • To investigate the potential of soft robotic hearts in clinical applications.

Main Methods:

  • A functional model was created using a spiral myocardial band theory.
  • Thin McKibben artificial muscles were embedded in a soft elastomer.
  • The model was rolled to replicate ventricular structure and tested for ejection fraction and pressure generation.

Main Results:

  • The soft robotic heart demonstrated a 17.3% contracting ratio and 47.8% ejection fraction.
  • Thickness change in the robotic heart closely approximated animal hearts (1.28-fold).
  • Water ejection experiments showed a maximum pressure of 200 mmHg, similar to human heart pressure-volume loops.

Conclusions:

  • Soft robotic hearts closely mimic key physiological parameters of real hearts.
  • This model shows potential for elucidating heart failure pathophysiology.
  • The technology may aid in developing novel surgical treatments for cardiac conditions.