With the increasing attention on cardiovascular disorders and the current inability of pre-clinical models to accurately predict human physiology, the need for advanced and reliable heart in vitro models is paramount. Microfabrication technologies provide potential solutions in the organs-on-chip systems: microengineered devices where cell cultures can be hosted and cultured to develop three-dimensional models or microtissues with high similarity to human physiology. We here described the fabrication and operation procedures for a beating heart-on-a-chip. The device features a culture region for a 3D cardiac microtissue and a system for applying tuned mechanical stimulation during culture to improve cardiac development. We additionally describe procedures for characterizing tissue maturation via immunofluorescence and functional evaluations of microtissue contractility.
Journal article
2018-01-01T00:00:00+00:00
146
69 - 84
15
Cardiomyocytes, Heart model, Mechanical stimulation, Microfluidics, Microtissue, Organs-on-chip, Tissue engineering, iPSC, Heart, Humans, Lab-On-A-Chip Devices, Microfluidics, Tissue Engineering