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Updated: Sep 15, 2025
Finite Element Modelling of a Cellular Electric Microenvironment
Published on: May 18, 2021
Biomimetic Model for Electromagnetic Modulation of Cardiovascular Cellular Interactions On-Chip
Ana C Manjua1,2, Fábio F F Garrudo3,4, Ana Agostinho4,5,6
1Biosensors and Devices Lab, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven 5600 MB, Netherlands.
Insights
Researchers developed an organ-on-chip platform using hybrid stimuli-responsive materials to model cardiac tissue. This novel approach successfully enhanced cardiac cell viability and restored cardiac contraction, offering new avenues for cardiac repair.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
- Cardiovascular Research
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death globally, often involving cardiac cell death and vascular loss.
- Current models lack the complexity to accurately simulate cardiac tissue microenvironments and test therapeutics.
- This limitation hinders progress in treating heart disease, which is often considered irreversible.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel organ-on-chip platform integrating electrical, magnetic, and mechanical stimulation.
- To replicate the cardiac tissue microenvironment and investigate the impact of combined stimuli on cardiac cell fate.
- To explore new therapeutic strategies for cardiac repair and remodeling.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of electromagnetic scaffolds using conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) electrospun coaxial fibers with iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs).
- Incorporation of scaffolds into a micromodel for triple stimulation (electrical, magnetic, mechanical).
- Culture of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) and human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) on the platform, assessing cell viability, metabolic activity, and cardiac function.
Main Results:
- PEDOT:PSS coaxial fibers exhibited higher electroconductivity (7.9 S·cm⁻¹) compared to conductive hydrogels (0.83 S·cm⁻¹).
- Combined 24-h electrical and magnetic stimulation significantly enhanced iPSC-CM viability (from 21% to 54%).
- Cardiac contraction, initially lost, was restored through combined stimulation and co-culture with HUVECs.
Conclusions:
- The developed organ-on-chip platform effectively replicates the cardiac microenvironment using hybrid stimuli-responsive materials.
- Combined electrical and magnetic stimulation promotes cardiac cell viability and function.
- This approach offers a promising tool for cardiac tissue modeling, repair, and remodeling research.
Abstract:
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of global mortality. These conditions are associated with cardiac cell death and loss of vascularization, potentially progressing to fatal myocardial infarction. However, the lack of accurate models to simulate the complex cardiac tissue microenvironment and explore alternative therapeutics contributes to heart disease still being regarded as irreversible. In this work, we developed a unique organ-on-chip platform that integrates electrical, magnetic, and mechanical stimulation to replicate the cardiac microenvironment and investigate the impact of electrical and magnetic stimulation on cardiac cell fate. Our micromodel integrated triple stimulating inputs using hybrid stimuli-responsive materials. Electromagnetic scaffolds were obtained by coating with conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) electrospun coaxial fibers comprising a polycaprolactone (PCL) shell and a core of gelatin embedded with iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs). These scaffolds were incorporated in the chip, and the properties and biological effects of these aligned electromagnetic fibers were compared with those of PEDOT:PSS-coated gelatin hydrogels with aligned magnetic particles. In the presence of an external magnetic field, both materials became more hydrophilic. PEDOT:PSS coaxial fibers demonstrated higher electroconductivity (7.9 S·cm-1) than the conductive hydrogels (0.83 S·cm-1). Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) were successfully cultured on the PEDOT:PSS coaxial fibers, as shown by cell metabolic activity assays over 8 days. Additionally, a 24-h of electric and magnetic combined stimulation significantly enhanced cell viability, with viable cell area increasing from 21% (control) to 54% in the stimulated condition. As proof of concept, we cocultured iPSC-CMs and human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) on the materials. Cardiac contraction, which ceased after seeding on the scaffolds, was restored through combined electric and magnetic stimulation and HUVEC culture on-chip. This approach modulates cardiac cell mechanotransduction and offers insights for modeling cardiac tissue, opening future avenues in cardiac repair and remodeling.
