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Boschi A, Iachetta G, Buonocore S, Hubarevich A, Hurtaud J, Moreddu R, Marta d’Amora, Formoso MB, Tantussi F, Dipalo M, De Angelis F. Interferometric Biosensor for High Sensitive Label-Free Recording of HiPS Cardiomyocytes Contraction in Vitro. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:6451-6458. [PMID: 38776267 PMCID: PMC11157657 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c04291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
Heart disease remains a leading cause of global mortality, underscoring the need for advanced technologies to study cardiovascular diseases and develop effective treatments. We introduce an innovative interferometric biosensor for high-sensitivity and label-free recording of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) cardiomyocyte contraction in vitro. Using an optical cavity, our device captures interference patterns caused by the contraction-induced displacement of a thin flexible membrane. First, we demonstrate the capability to quantify spontaneous contractions and discriminate between contraction and relaxation phases. We calculate a contraction-induced vertical membrane displacement close to 40 nm, which implies a traction stress of 34 ± 4 mN/mm2. Finally, we investigate the effects of a drug compound on contractility amplitude, revealing a significant reduction in contractile forces. The label-free and high-throughput nature of our biosensor may enhance drug screening processes and drug development for cardiac treatments. Our interferometric biosensor offers a novel approach for noninvasive and real-time assessment of cardiomyocyte contraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Boschi
- Plasmon
Nanotechnologies Unit, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of Genoa, 16126 Genoa, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Iachetta
- Plasmon
Nanotechnologies Unit, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Salvatore Buonocore
- Plasmon
Nanotechnologies Unit, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Julien Hurtaud
- Plasmon
Nanotechnologies Unit, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Rosalia Moreddu
- Plasmon
Nanotechnologies Unit, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Marta d’Amora
- Plasmon
Nanotechnologies Unit, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
- Department
of Biology, University of Pisa, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Maria Blanco Formoso
- Plasmon
Nanotechnologies Unit, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
- Center
for Research in Nanomaterials and Biomedicine, University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
| | - Francesco Tantussi
- Plasmon
Nanotechnologies Unit, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Michele Dipalo
- Plasmon
Nanotechnologies Unit, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesco De Angelis
- Plasmon
Nanotechnologies Unit, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
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2
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Strohm EM, Callaghan NI, Ding Y, Latifi N, Rafatian N, Funakoshi S, Fernandes I, Reitz CJ, Di Paola M, Gramolini AO, Radisic M, Keller G, Kolios MC, Simmons CA. Noninvasive Quantification of Contractile Dynamics in Cardiac Cells, Spheroids, and Organs-on-a-Chip Using High-Frequency Ultrasound. ACS NANO 2024; 18:314-327. [PMID: 38147684 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c06325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Cell-based models that mimic in vivo heart physiology are poised to make significant advances in cardiac disease modeling and drug discovery. In these systems, cardiomyocyte (CM) contractility is an important functional metric, but current measurement methods are inaccurate and low-throughput or require complex setups. To address this need, we developed a standalone noninvasive, label-free ultrasound technique operating at 40-200 MHz to measure the contractile kinetics of cardiac models, ranging from single adult CMs to 3D microtissue constructs in standard cell culture formats. The high temporal resolution of 1000 fps resolved the beat profile of single mouse CMs paced at up to 9 Hz, revealing limitations of lower speed optical based measurements to resolve beat kinetics or characterize aberrant beats. Coupling of ultrasound with traction force microscopy enabled the measurement of the CM longitudinal modulus and facile estimation of adult mouse CM contractile forces of 2.34 ± 1.40 μN, comparable to more complex measurement techniques. Similarly, the beat rate, rhythm, and drug responses of CM spheroid and microtissue models were measured, including in configurations without optical access. In conclusion, ultrasound can be used for the rapid characterization of CM contractile function in a wide range of commonly studied configurations ranging from single cells to 3D tissue constructs using standard well plates and custom microdevices, with applications in cardiac drug discovery and cardiotoxicity evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric M Strohm
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3G8, Canada
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research, Toronto, M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Neal I Callaghan
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research, Toronto, M5G 1M1, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Yu Ding
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research, Toronto, M5G 1M1, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Neda Latifi
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3G8, Canada
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research, Toronto, M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Naimeh Rafatian
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, M5G 2C4, Canada
| | - Shunsuke Funakoshi
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Ian Fernandes
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Cristine J Reitz
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research, Toronto, M5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Michelle Di Paola
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research, Toronto, M5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Anthony O Gramolini
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research, Toronto, M5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Milica Radisic
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3G9, Canada
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, M5G 2C4, Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3E5, Canada
| | - Gordon Keller
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, M5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Michael C Kolios
- Department of Physics, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Craig A Simmons
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3G8, Canada
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research, Toronto, M5G 1M1, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3G9, Canada
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3
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Aitova A, Berezhnoy A, Tsvelaya V, Gusev O, Lyundup A, Efimov AE, Agapov I, Agladze K. Biomimetic Cardiac Tissue Models for In Vitro Arrhythmia Studies. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:487. [PMID: 37887618 PMCID: PMC10604593 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8060487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiac arrhythmias are a major cause of cardiovascular mortality worldwide. Many arrhythmias are caused by reentry, a phenomenon where excitation waves circulate in the heart. Optical mapping techniques have revealed the role of reentry in arrhythmia initiation and fibrillation transition, but the underlying biophysical mechanisms are still difficult to investigate in intact hearts. Tissue engineering models of cardiac tissue can mimic the structure and function of native cardiac tissue and enable interactive observation of reentry formation and wave propagation. This review will present various approaches to constructing cardiac tissue models for reentry studies, using the authors' work as examples. The review will highlight the evolution of tissue engineering designs based on different substrates, cell types, and structural parameters. A new approach using polymer materials and cellular reprogramming to create biomimetic cardiac tissues will be introduced. The review will also show how computational modeling of cardiac tissue can complement experimental data and how such models can be applied in the biomimetics of cardiac tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleria Aitova
- Laboratory of Experimental and Cellular Medicine, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141700 Dolgoprudny, Russia
- M.F. Vladimirsky Moscow Regional Clinical Research Institute, 129110 Moscow, Russia
- Almetyevsk State Oil Institute, 423450 Almetyevsk, Russia
| | - Andrey Berezhnoy
- Laboratory of Experimental and Cellular Medicine, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141700 Dolgoprudny, Russia
- M.F. Vladimirsky Moscow Regional Clinical Research Institute, 129110 Moscow, Russia
- Almetyevsk State Oil Institute, 423450 Almetyevsk, Russia
| | - Valeriya Tsvelaya
- Laboratory of Experimental and Cellular Medicine, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141700 Dolgoprudny, Russia
- M.F. Vladimirsky Moscow Regional Clinical Research Institute, 129110 Moscow, Russia
- Almetyevsk State Oil Institute, 423450 Almetyevsk, Russia
| | - Oleg Gusev
- Regulatory Genomics Research Center, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420018 Kazan, Russia
- Life Improvement by Future Technologies (LIFT) Center, 143025 Moscow, Russia
- Intractable Disease Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | | | - Anton E. Efimov
- Academician V.I. Shumakov National Medical Research Center of Transplantology and Artificial Organs, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123182 Moscow, Russia
| | - Igor Agapov
- Academician V.I. Shumakov National Medical Research Center of Transplantology and Artificial Organs, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123182 Moscow, Russia
| | - Konstantin Agladze
- Laboratory of Experimental and Cellular Medicine, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141700 Dolgoprudny, Russia
- M.F. Vladimirsky Moscow Regional Clinical Research Institute, 129110 Moscow, Russia
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4
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SubramanianBalachandar V, Islam MM, Steward RL. A machine learning approach to predict cellular mechanical stresses in response to chemical perturbation. Biophys J 2023; 122:3413-3424. [PMID: 37496269 PMCID: PMC10502424 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanical stresses generated at the cell-cell level and cell-substrate level have been suggested to be important in a host of physiological and pathological processes. However, the influence various chemical compounds have on the mechanical stresses mentioned above is poorly understood, hindering the discovery of novel therapeutics, and representing a barrier in the field. To overcome this barrier, we implemented two approaches: 1) monolayer boundary predictor and 2) discretized window predictor utilizing either stepwise linear regression or quadratic support vector machine machine learning model to predict the dose-dependent response of tractions and intercellular stresses to chemical perturbation. We used experimental traction and intercellular stress data gathered from samples subject to 0.2 or 2 μg/mL drug concentrations along with cell morphological properties extracted from the bright-field images as predictors to train our model. To demonstrate the predictive capability of our machine learning models, we predicted tractions and intercellular stresses in response to 0 and 1 μg/mL drug concentrations which were not utilized in the training sets. Results revealed the discretized window predictor trained just with four samples (292 images) to best predict both intercellular stresses and tractions using the quadratic support vector machine and stepwise linear regression models, respectively, for the unseen sample images.
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Affiliation(s)
- VigneshAravind SubramanianBalachandar
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida; Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Md Mydul Islam
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
| | - R L Steward
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida; Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
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5
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Vurro V, Shani K, Ardoña HAM, Zimmerman JF, Sesti V, Lee KY, Jin Q, Bertarelli C, Parker KK, Lanzani G. Light-triggered cardiac microphysiological model. APL Bioeng 2023; 7:026108. [PMID: 37234844 PMCID: PMC10208677 DOI: 10.1063/5.0143409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Light is recognized as an accurate and noninvasive tool for stimulating excitable cells. Here, we report on a non-genetic approach based on organic molecular phototransducers that allows wiring- and electrode-free tissue modulation. As a proof of concept, we show photostimulation of an in vitro cardiac microphysiological model mediated by an amphiphilic azobenzene compound that preferentially dwells in the cell membrane. Exploiting this optical based stimulation technology could be a disruptive approach for highly resolved cardiac tissue stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- V. Vurro
- Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Teconologia, Milano, 20133 Italy
| | - K. Shani
- Disease Biophysics Group, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02134, USA
| | | | - J. F. Zimmerman
- Disease Biophysics Group, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02134, USA
| | | | | | - Q. Jin
- Disease Biophysics Group, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02134, USA
| | | | - K. K. Parker
- Disease Biophysics Group, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02134, USA
| | - G. Lanzani
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:
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6
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Scott S, Weiss M, Selhuber-Unkel C, Barooji YF, Sabri A, Erler JT, Metzler R, Oddershede LB. Extracting, quantifying, and comparing dynamical and biomechanical properties of living matter through single particle tracking. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:1513-1537. [PMID: 36546878 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp01384c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
A panoply of new tools for tracking single particles and molecules has led to an explosion of experimental data, leading to novel insights into physical properties of living matter governing cellular development and function, health and disease. In this Perspective, we present tools to investigate the dynamics and mechanics of living systems from the molecular to cellular scale via single-particle techniques. In particular, we focus on methods to measure, interpret, and analyse complex data sets that are associated with forces, materials properties, transport, and emergent organisation phenomena within biological and soft-matter systems. Current approaches, challenges, and existing solutions in the associated fields are outlined in order to support the growing community of researchers at the interface of physics and the life sciences. Each section focuses not only on the general physical principles and the potential for understanding living matter, but also on details of practical data extraction and analysis, discussing limitations, interpretation, and comparison across different experimental realisations and theoretical frameworks. Particularly relevant results are introduced as examples. While this Perspective describes living matter from a physical perspective, highlighting experimental and theoretical physics techniques relevant for such systems, it is also meant to serve as a solid starting point for researchers in the life sciences interested in the implementation of biophysical methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane Scott
- Institute of Physiology, Kiel University, Hermann-Rodewald-Straße 5, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Matthias Weiss
- Experimental Physics I, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, D-95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Christine Selhuber-Unkel
- Institute for Molecular Systems Engineering, Heidelberg University, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Max Planck School Matter to Life, Jahnstraße 29, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Younes F Barooji
- Niels Bohr Institute, Blegdamsvej 17, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Adal Sabri
- Experimental Physics I, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, D-95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Janine T Erler
- BRIC, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Ralf Metzler
- Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht Str. 24/25, D-14476 Potsdam, Germany.,Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics, Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
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7
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Morris TA, Eldeen S, Tran RDH, Grosberg A. A comprehensive review of computational and image analysis techniques for quantitative evaluation of striated muscle tissue architecture. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2022; 3:041302. [PMID: 36407035 PMCID: PMC9667907 DOI: 10.1063/5.0057434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Unbiased evaluation of morphology is crucial to understanding development, mechanics, and pathology of striated muscle tissues. Indeed, the ability of striated muscles to contract and the strength of their contraction is dependent on their tissue-, cellular-, and cytoskeletal-level organization. Accordingly, the study of striated muscles often requires imaging and assessing aspects of their architecture at multiple different spatial scales. While an expert may be able to qualitatively appraise tissues, it is imperative to have robust, repeatable tools to quantify striated myocyte morphology and behavior that can be used to compare across different labs and experiments. There has been a recent effort to define the criteria used by experts to evaluate striated myocyte architecture. In this review, we will describe metrics that have been developed to summarize distinct aspects of striated muscle architecture in multiple different tissues, imaged with various modalities. Additionally, we will provide an overview of metrics and image processing software that needs to be developed. Importantly to any lab working on striated muscle platforms, characterization of striated myocyte morphology using the image processing pipelines discussed in this review can be used to quantitatively evaluate striated muscle tissues and contribute to a robust understanding of the development and mechanics of striated muscles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah Eldeen
- Center for Complex Biological Systems, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-2700, USA
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8
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Kałużna E, Nadel A, Zimna A, Rozwadowska N, Kolanowski T. Modeling the human heart ex vivo-current possibilities and strive for future applications. J Tissue Eng Regen Med 2022; 16:853-874. [PMID: 35748158 PMCID: PMC9796015 DOI: 10.1002/term.3335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The high organ specification of the human heart is inversely proportional to its functional recovery after damage. The discovery of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) has accelerated research in human heart regeneration and physiology. Nevertheless, due to the immaturity of iPSC-CMs, they are far from being an representative model of the adult heart physiology. Therefore, number of laboratories strive to obtain a heart tissues by engineering methods by structuring iPSC-CMs into complex and advanced platforms. By using the iPSC-CMs and arranging them in 3D cultures it is possible to obtain a human heart muscle with physiological capabilities potentially similar to the adult heart, while remaining in vitro. Here, we attempt to describe existing examples of heart muscle either in vitro or ex vivo models and discuss potential options for the further development of such structures. This will be a crucial step for ultimate derivation of complete heart tissue-mimicking organs and their future use in drug development, therapeutic approaches testing, pre-clinical studies, and clinical applications. This review particularly aims to compile available models of advanced human heart tissue for scientists considering which model would best fit their research needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewelina Kałużna
- Institute of Human GeneticsPolish Academy of SciencesPoznanPoland
| | - Agnieszka Nadel
- Institute of Human GeneticsPolish Academy of SciencesPoznanPoland
| | - Agnieszka Zimna
- Institute of Human GeneticsPolish Academy of SciencesPoznanPoland
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9
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Molter CW, Muszynski EF, Tao Y, Trivedi T, Clouvel A, Ehrlicher AJ. Prostate cancer cells of increasing metastatic potential exhibit diverse contractile forces, cell stiffness, and motility in a microenvironment stiffness-dependent manner. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:932510. [PMID: 36200037 PMCID: PMC9527313 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.932510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During metastasis, all cancer types must migrate through crowded multicellular environments. Simultaneously, cancers appear to change their biophysical properties. Indeed, cell softening and increased contractility are emerging as seemingly ubiquitous biomarkers of metastatic progression which may facilitate metastasis. Cell stiffness and contractility are also influenced by the microenvironment. Stiffer matrices resembling the tumor microenvironment cause metastatic cells to contract more strongly, further promoting contractile tumorigenic phenotypes. Prostate cancer (PCa), however, appears to deviate from these common cancer biophysics trends; aggressive metastatic PCa cells appear stiffer, rather than softer, to their lowly metastatic PCa counterparts. Although metastatic PCa cells have been reported to be more contractile than healthy cells, how cell contractility changes with increasing PCa metastatic potential has remained unknown. Here, we characterize the biophysical changes of PCa cells of various metastatic potential as a function of microenvironment stiffness. Using a panel of progressively increasing metastatic potential cell lines (22RV1, LNCaP, DU145, and PC3), we quantified their contractility using traction force microscopy (TFM), and measured their cortical stiffness using optical magnetic twisting cytometry (OMTC) and their motility using time-lapse microscopy. We found that PCa contractility, cell stiffness, and motility do not universally scale with metastatic potential. Rather, PCa cells of various metastatic efficiencies exhibit unique biophysical responses that are differentially influenced by substrate stiffness. Despite this biophysical diversity, this work concludes that mechanical microenvironment is a key determinant in the biophysical response of PCa with variable metastatic potentials. The mechanics-oriented focus and methodology of the study is unique and complementary to conventional biochemical and genetic strategies typically used to understand this disease, and thus may usher in new perspectives and approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clayton W. Molter
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Eliana F. Muszynski
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yuanyuan Tao
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Tanisha Trivedi
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Anna Clouvel
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Allen J. Ehrlicher
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Allen J. Ehrlicher,
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10
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Apa L, Cosentino M, Forconi F, Musarò A, Rizzuto E, Del Prete Z. The Development of an Innovative Embedded Sensor for the Optical Measurement of Ex-Vivo Engineered Muscle Tissue Contractility. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:6878. [PMID: 36146227 PMCID: PMC9502572 DOI: 10.3390/s22186878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary approach focused on the development of innovative bioartificial substitutes for damaged organs and tissues. For skeletal muscle, the measurement of contractile capability represents a crucial aspect for tissue replacement, drug screening and personalized medicine. To date, the measurement of engineered muscle tissues is rather invasive and not continuous. In this context, we proposed an innovative sensor for the continuous monitoring of engineered-muscle-tissue contractility through an embedded technique. The sensor is based on the calibrated deflection of one of the engineered tissue's supporting pins, whose movements are measured using a noninvasive optical method. The sensor was calibrated to return force values through the use of a step linear motor and a micro-force transducer. Experimental results showed that the embedded sensor did not alter the correct maturation of the engineered muscle tissue. Finally, as proof of concept, we demonstrated the ability of the sensor to capture alterations in the force contractility of the engineered muscle tissues subjected to serum deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovica Apa
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Marianna Cosentino
- DAHFMO-Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Flavia Forconi
- DAHFMO-Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Musarò
- DAHFMO-Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuele Rizzuto
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Zaccaria Del Prete
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy
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11
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Querceto S, Santoro R, Gowran A, Grandinetti B, Pompilio G, Regnier M, Tesi C, Poggesi C, Ferrantini C, Pioner JM. The harder the climb the better the view: The impact of substrate stiffness on cardiomyocyte fate. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2022; 166:36-49. [PMID: 35139328 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2022.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The quest for novel methods to mature human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) for cardiac regeneration, modelling and drug testing has emphasized a need to create microenvironments with physiological features. Many studies have reported on how cardiomyocytes sense substrate stiffness and adapt their morphological and functional properties. However, these observations have raised new biological questions and a shared vision to translate it into a tissue or organ context is still elusive. In this review, we will focus on the relevance of substrates mimicking cardiac extracellular matrix (cECM) rigidity for the understanding of the biomechanical crosstalk between the extracellular and intracellular environment. The ability to opportunely modulate these pathways could be a key to regulate in vitro hiPSC-CM maturation. Therefore, both hiPSC-CM models and substrate stiffness appear as intriguing tools for the investigation of cECM-cell interactions. More understanding of these mechanisms may provide novel insights on how cECM affects cardiac cell function in the context of genetic cardiomyopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Querceto
- Division of Physiology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy
| | - Rosaria Santoro
- Unità di Biologia Vascolare e Medicina Rigenerativa, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, via Carlo Parea 4, Milan, Italy; Department of Electronics, Information and Biomedical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Aoife Gowran
- Unità di Biologia Vascolare e Medicina Rigenerativa, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, via Carlo Parea 4, Milan, Italy
| | - Bruno Grandinetti
- European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy
| | - Giulio Pompilio
- Unità di Biologia Vascolare e Medicina Rigenerativa, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, via Carlo Parea 4, Milan, Italy; Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Italy
| | - Michael Regnier
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Chiara Tesi
- Division of Physiology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy
| | - Corrado Poggesi
- Division of Physiology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy
| | - Cecilia Ferrantini
- Division of Physiology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy
| | - Josè Manuel Pioner
- Department of Biology, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy.
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12
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Bracamonte JH, Saunders SK, Wilson JS, Truong UT, Soares JS. Patient-Specific Inverse Modeling of In Vivo Cardiovascular Mechanics with Medical Image-Derived Kinematics as Input Data: Concepts, Methods, and Applications. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022; 12:3954. [PMID: 36911244 PMCID: PMC10004130 DOI: 10.3390/app12083954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Inverse modeling approaches in cardiovascular medicine are a collection of methodologies that can provide non-invasive patient-specific estimations of tissue properties, mechanical loads, and other mechanics-based risk factors using medical imaging as inputs. Its incorporation into clinical practice has the potential to improve diagnosis and treatment planning with low associated risks and costs. These methods have become available for medical applications mainly due to the continuing development of image-based kinematic techniques, the maturity of the associated theories describing cardiovascular function, and recent progress in computer science, modeling, and simulation engineering. Inverse method applications are multidisciplinary, requiring tailored solutions to the available clinical data, pathology of interest, and available computational resources. Herein, we review biomechanical modeling and simulation principles, methods of solving inverse problems, and techniques for image-based kinematic analysis. In the final section, the major advances in inverse modeling of human cardiovascular mechanics since its early development in the early 2000s are reviewed with emphasis on method-specific descriptions, results, and conclusions. We draw selected studies on healthy and diseased hearts, aortas, and pulmonary arteries achieved through the incorporation of tissue mechanics, hemodynamics, and fluid-structure interaction methods paired with patient-specific data acquired with medical imaging in inverse modeling approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johane H. Bracamonte
- Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - Sarah K. Saunders
- Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - John S. Wilson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Pauley Heart Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23219, USA
| | - Uyen T. Truong
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23219, USA
| | - Joao S. Soares
- Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
- Correspondence:
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13
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Arslan U, Moruzzi A, Nowacka J, Mummery C, Eckardt D, Loskill P, Orlova V. Microphysiological stem cell models of the human heart. Mater Today Bio 2022; 14:100259. [PMID: 35514437 PMCID: PMC9062349 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2022.100259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Models of heart disease and drug responses are increasingly based on human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) since their ability to capture human heart (dys-)function is often better than animal models. Simple monolayer cultures of hPSC-derived cardiomyocytes, however, have shortcomings. Some of these can be overcome using more complex, multi cell-type models in 3D. Here we review modalities that address this, describe efforts to tailor readouts and sensors for monitoring tissue- and cell physiology (exogenously and in situ) and discuss perspectives for implementation in industry and academia.
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14
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Zancla A, Mozetic P, Orsini M, Forte G, Rainer A. A primer to traction force microscopy. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101867. [PMID: 35351517 PMCID: PMC9092999 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Traction force microscopy (TFM) has emerged as a versatile technique for the measurement of single-cell-generated forces. TFM has gained wide use among mechanobiology laboratories, and several variants of the original methodology have been proposed. However, issues related to the experimental setup and, most importantly, data analysis of cell traction datasets may restrain the adoption of TFM by a wider community. In this review, we summarize the state of the art in TFM-related research, with a focus on the analytical methods underlying data analysis. We aim to provide the reader with a friendly compendium underlying the potential of TFM and emphasizing the methodological framework required for a thorough understanding of experimental data. We also compile a list of data analytics tools freely available to the scientific community for the furtherance of knowledge on this powerful technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Zancla
- Department of Engineering, Università degli Studi Roma Tre, Rome, Italy; Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Pamela Mozetic
- Institute of Nanotechnology (NANOTEC), National Research Council, Lecce, Italy; Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Orsini
- Department of Engineering, Università degli Studi Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Forte
- Center for Translational Medicine (CTM), International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czechia.
| | - Alberto Rainer
- Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy; Institute of Nanotechnology (NANOTEC), National Research Council, Lecce, Italy.
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15
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Tang X, He Y, Liu J. Soft bioelectronics for cardiac interfaces. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2022; 3:011301. [PMID: 38505226 PMCID: PMC10903430 DOI: 10.1063/5.0069516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Bioelectronics for interrogation and intervention of cardiac systems is important for the study of cardiac health and disease. Interfacing cardiac systems by using conventional rigid bioelectronics is limited by the structural and mechanical disparities between rigid electronics and soft tissues as well as their limited performance. Recently, advances in soft electronics have led to the development of high-performance soft bioelectronics, which is flexible and stretchable, capable of interfacing with cardiac systems in ways not possible with conventional rigid bioelectronics. In this review, we first review the latest developments in building flexible and stretchable bioelectronics for the epicardial interface with the heart. Next, we introduce how stretchable bioelectronics can be integrated with cardiac catheters for a minimally invasive in vivo heart interface. Then, we highlight the recent progress in the design of soft bioelectronics as a new class of biomaterials for integration with different in vitro cardiac models. In particular, we highlight how these devices unlock opportunities to interrogate the cardiac activities in the cardiac patch and cardiac organoid models. Finally, we discuss future directions and opportunities using soft bioelectronics for the study of cardiac systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Tang
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02134, USA
| | - Yichun He
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02134, USA
| | - Jia Liu
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02134, USA
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16
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Monitoring the maturation of the sarcomere network: a super-resolution microscopy-based approach. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:149. [PMID: 35199227 PMCID: PMC8866374 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04196-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The in vitro generation of human cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) is of great importance for cardiac disease modeling, drug-testing applications and for regenerative medicine. Despite the development of various cultivation strategies, a sufficiently high degree of maturation is still a decisive limiting factor for the successful application of these cardiac cells. The maturation process includes, among others, the proper formation of sarcomere structures, mediating the contraction of cardiomyocytes. To precisely monitor the maturation of the contractile machinery, we have established an imaging-based strategy that allows quantitative evaluation of important parameters, defining the quality of the sarcomere network. iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes were subjected to different culture conditions to improve sarcomere formation, including prolonged cultivation time and micro patterned surfaces. Fluorescent images of α-actinin were acquired using super-resolution microscopy. Subsequently, we determined cell morphology, sarcomere density, filament alignment, z-Disc thickness and sarcomere length of iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Cells from adult and neonatal heart tissue served as control. Our image analysis revealed a profound effect on sarcomere content and filament orientation when iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes were cultured on structured, line-shaped surfaces. Similarly, prolonged cultivation time had a beneficial effect on the structural maturation, leading to a more adult-like phenotype. Automatic evaluation of the sarcomere filaments by machine learning validated our data. Moreover, we successfully transferred this approach to skeletal muscle cells, showing an improved sarcomere formation cells over different differentiation periods. Overall, our image-based workflow can be used as a straight-forward tool to quantitatively estimate the structural maturation of contractile cells. As such, it can support the establishment of novel differentiation protocols to enhance sarcomere formation and maturity.
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17
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Ahmed S, Johnson RT, Solanki R, Afewerki T, Wostear F, Warren DT. Using Polyacrylamide Hydrogels to Model Physiological Aortic Stiffness Reveals that Microtubules Are Critical Regulators of Isolated Smooth Muscle Cell Morphology and Contractility. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:836710. [PMID: 35153800 PMCID: PMC8830533 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.836710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are the predominant cell type in the medial layer of the aortic wall and normally exist in a quiescent, contractile phenotype where actomyosin-derived contractile forces maintain vascular tone. However, VSMCs are not terminally differentiated and can dedifferentiate into a proliferative, synthetic phenotype. Actomyosin force generation is essential for the function of both phenotypes. Whilst much is already known about the mechanisms of VSMC actomyosin force generation, existing assays are either low throughput and time consuming, or qualitative and inconsistent. In this study, we use polyacrylamide hydrogels, tuned to mimic the physiological stiffness of the aortic wall, in a VSMC contractility assay. Isolated VSMC area decreases following stimulation with the contractile agonists angiotensin II or carbachol. Importantly, the angiotensin II induced reduction in cell area correlated with increased traction stress generation. Inhibition of actomyosin activity using blebbistatin or Y-27632 prevented angiotensin II mediated changes in VSMC morphology, suggesting that changes in VSMC morphology and actomyosin activity are core components of the contractile response. Furthermore, we show that microtubule stability is an essential regulator of isolated VSMC contractility. Treatment with either colchicine or paclitaxel uncoupled the morphological and/or traction stress responses of angiotensin II stimulated VSMCs. Our findings support the tensegrity model of cellular mechanics and we demonstrate that microtubules act to balance actomyosin-derived traction stress generation and regulate the morphological responses of VSMCs.
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18
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Seelbinder B, Ghosh S, Schneider SE, Scott AK, Berman AG, Goergen CJ, Margulies KB, Bedi K, Casas E, Swearingen AR, Brumbaugh J, Calve S, Neu CP. Nuclear deformation guides chromatin reorganization in cardiac development and disease. Nat Biomed Eng 2021; 5:1500-1516. [PMID: 34857921 PMCID: PMC9300284 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-021-00823-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
In cardiovascular tissues, changes in the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix are associated with cellular de-differentiation and with subsequent functional declines. However, the underlying mechanoreceptive mechanisms are largely unclear. Here, by generating high-resolution, full-field strain maps of cardiomyocyte nuclei during contraction in vitro, complemented with evidence from tissues from patients with cardiomyopathy and from mice with reduced cardiac performance, we show that cardiomyocytes establish a distinct nuclear organization during maturation, characterized by the reorganization of H3K9me3-marked chromatin towards the nuclear border. Specifically, we show that intranuclear tension is spatially correlated with H3K9me3-marked chromatin, that reductions in nuclear deformation (through environmental stiffening or through the disruption of complexes of the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton) abrogate chromatin reorganization and lead to the dissociation of H3K9me3-marked chromatin from the nuclear periphery, and that the suppression of H3K9 methylation induces chromatin reorganization and reduces the expression of cardiac developmental genes. Overall, our findings indicate that, by integrating environmental mechanical cues, the nuclei of cardiomyocytes guide and stabilize the fate of cells through the reorganization of epigenetically marked chromatin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Seelbinder
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder (CO)
| | - Soham Ghosh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder (CO)
| | | | - Adrienne K. Scott
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder (CO)
| | - Alycia G. Berman
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette (IN)
| | - Craig J. Goergen
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette (IN)
| | | | - Kenneth Bedi
- Cardiovascular Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (PA)
| | - Eduard Casas
- Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder (CO)
| | - Alison R. Swearingen
- Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder (CO)
| | - Justin Brumbaugh
- Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder (CO)
| | - Sarah Calve
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder (CO),Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette (IN)
| | - Corey P. Neu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder (CO),Corresponding Author
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19
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Kabanov D, Klimovic S, Rotrekl V, Pesl M, Pribyl J. Atomic Force Spectroscopy is a promising tool to study contractile properties of cardiac cells. Micron 2021; 155:103199. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2021.103199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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20
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Swiatlowska P, Iskratsch T. Tools for studying and modulating (cardiac muscle) cell mechanics and mechanosensing across the scales. Biophys Rev 2021; 13:611-623. [PMID: 34765044 PMCID: PMC8553672 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-021-00837-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiomyocytes generate force for the contraction of the heart to pump blood into the lungs and body. At the same time, they are exquisitely tuned to the mechanical environment and react to e.g. changes in cell and extracellular matrix stiffness or altered stretching due to reduced ejection fraction in heart disease, by adapting their cytoskeleton, force generation and cell mechanics. Both mechanical sensing and cell mechanical adaptations are multiscale processes. Receptor interactions with the extracellular matrix at the nanoscale will lead to clustering of receptors and modification of the cytoskeleton. This in turn alters mechanosensing, force generation, cell and nuclear stiffness and viscoelasticity at the microscale. Further, this affects cell shape, orientation, maturation and tissue integration at the microscale to macroscale. A variety of tools have been developed and adapted to measure cardiomyocyte receptor-ligand interactions and forces or mechanics at the different ranges, resulting in a wealth of new information about cardiomyocyte mechanobiology. Here, we take stock at the different tools for exploring cardiomyocyte mechanosensing and cell mechanics at the different scales from the nanoscale to microscale and macroscale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Swiatlowska
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Thomas Iskratsch
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
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21
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Lekka M, Gnanachandran K, Kubiak A, Zieliński T, Zemła J. Traction force microscopy - Measuring the forces exerted by cells. Micron 2021; 150:103138. [PMID: 34416532 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2021.103138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Cells generate mechanical forces (traction forces, TFs) while interacting with the extracellular matrix or neighbouring cells. Forces are generated by both cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) and transmitted within the cell-ECM or cell-cell contacts involving focal adhesions or adherens junctions. Within more than two decades, substantial progress has been achieved in techniques that measure TFs. One of the techniques is traction force microscopy (TFM). This review discusses the TFM and its advances in measuring TFs exerted by cells (single cells and multicellular systems) at cell-ECM and cell-cell junctional intracellular interfaces. The answers to how cells sense, adapt and respond to mechanical forces unravel their role in controlling and regulating cell behaviour in normal and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Lekka
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342, Cracow, Poland.
| | | | - Andrzej Kubiak
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342, Cracow, Poland
| | - Tomasz Zieliński
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342, Cracow, Poland
| | - Joanna Zemła
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342, Cracow, Poland
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22
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Khalil NN, McCain ML. Engineering the Cellular Microenvironment of Post-infarct Myocardium on a Chip. Front Cardiovasc Med 2021; 8:709871. [PMID: 34336962 PMCID: PMC8316619 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.709871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Myocardial infarctions are one of the most common forms of cardiac injury and death worldwide. Infarctions cause immediate necrosis in a localized region of the myocardium, which is followed by a repair process with inflammatory, proliferative, and maturation phases. This repair process culminates in the formation of scar tissue, which often leads to heart failure in the months or years after the initial injury. In each reparative phase, the infarct microenvironment is characterized by distinct biochemical, physical, and mechanical features, such as inflammatory cytokine production, localized hypoxia, and tissue stiffening, which likely each contribute to physiological and pathological tissue remodeling by mechanisms that are incompletely understood. Traditionally, simplified two-dimensional cell culture systems or animal models have been implemented to elucidate basic pathophysiological mechanisms or predict drug responses following myocardial infarction. However, these conventional approaches offer limited spatiotemporal control over relevant features of the post-infarct cellular microenvironment. To address these gaps, Organ on a Chip models of post-infarct myocardium have recently emerged as new paradigms for dissecting the highly complex, heterogeneous, and dynamic post-infarct microenvironment. In this review, we describe recent Organ on a Chip models of post-infarct myocardium, including their limitations and future opportunities in disease modeling and drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie N Khalil
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Megan L McCain
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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23
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Arslanova A, Shafaattalab S, Lin E, Barszczewski T, Hove-Madsen L, Tibbits GF. Investigating inherited arrhythmias using hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Methods 2021; 203:542-557. [PMID: 34197925 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2021.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Fundamental to the functional behavior of cardiac muscle is that the cardiomyocytes are integrated as a functional syncytium. Disrupted electrical activity in the cardiac tissue can lead to serious complications including cardiac arrhythmias. Therefore, it is important to study electrophysiological properties of the cardiac tissue. With advancements in stem cell research, protocols for the production of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) have been established, providing great potential in modelling cardiac arrhythmias and drug testing. The hiPSC-CM model can be used in conjunction with electrophysiology-based platforms to examine the electrical activity of the cardiac tissue. Techniques for determining the myocardial electrical activity include multielectrode arrays (MEAs), optical mapping (OM), and patch clamping. These techniques provide critical approaches to investigate cardiac electrical abnormalities that underlie arrhythmias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alia Arslanova
- Molecular Cardiac Physiology Group, Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser, University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; hiPSC-CM Research Team, British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z4H4, Canada
| | - Sanam Shafaattalab
- Molecular Cardiac Physiology Group, Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser, University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; hiPSC-CM Research Team, British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z4H4, Canada
| | - Eric Lin
- Molecular Cardiac Physiology Group, Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser, University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Tiffany Barszczewski
- Molecular Cardiac Physiology Group, Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser, University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; hiPSC-CM Research Team, British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z4H4, Canada
| | - Leif Hove-Madsen
- Cardiac Rhythm and Contraction Group, IIBB-CSIC, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona 08041, Spain; CIBERCV, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona 08041, Spain; IIB Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona 08041, Spain
| | - Glen F Tibbits
- Molecular Cardiac Physiology Group, Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser, University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; hiPSC-CM Research Team, British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z4H4, Canada; Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada.
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24
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Jiang Z, Wang D, Zheng Y, Liu C, Wang QH. Continuous optical zoom microscopy imaging system based on liquid lenses. OPTICS EXPRESS 2021; 29:20322-20335. [PMID: 34266124 DOI: 10.1364/oe.432290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, a continuous optical zoom microscopy imaging system based on liquid lenses is proposed. Compared with traditional microscopes, which have discrete magnification, requiring manual conversion of the objective lens to change the magnification, the proposed microscope can continuously change the magnification of the targets in real-time. An adaptive zoom microscope, a liquid lens driving board, a microscope bracket, an adjustable three-dimensional stage and a light source are stacked to form the main framework of the continuous optical zoom microscopy imaging system. The adaptive zoom microscope which is composed of four electrowetting liquid lenses and six glass lenses form the main imaging element of the microscope. By changing the driving voltage which is applied to the four liquid lenses, the focal length of the liquid lenses can be modulated to achieve continuous zooming. By contrast, in traditional microscopes, the zooming process can only be achieved by rotating the eyepieces at different magnifications. At a fixed working distance, the magnification of the proposed microscope can change continuously from ∼9.6× to ∼22.2× with a response time of ∼50ms. Moreover, an axial depth scanning of ∼1000µm can be achieved without any mechanical movement. Our experiments proved that the microscope has stable performance and high consistency during zooming. Therefore, the proposed microscope has obvious advantages over the traditional microscopes in observing dynamic samples with different magnifications and can be commercialized for further expanding the applications in biochemical and pathological analysis.
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25
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Barbieri L, Colin-York H, Korobchevskaya K, Li D, Wolfson DL, Karedla N, Schneider F, Ahluwalia BS, Seternes T, Dalmo RA, Dustin ML, Li D, Fritzsche M. Two-dimensional TIRF-SIM-traction force microscopy (2D TIRF-SIM-TFM). Nat Commun 2021; 12:2169. [PMID: 33846317 PMCID: PMC8041833 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22377-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Quantifying small, rapidly evolving forces generated by cells is a major challenge for the understanding of biomechanics and mechanobiology in health and disease. Traction force microscopy remains one of the most broadly applied force probing technologies but typically restricts itself to slow events over seconds and micron-scale displacements. Here, we improve >2-fold spatially and >10-fold temporally the resolution of planar cellular force probing compared to its related conventional modalities by combining fast two-dimensional total internal reflection fluorescence super-resolution structured illumination microscopy and traction force microscopy. This live-cell 2D TIRF-SIM-TFM methodology offers a combination of spatio-temporal resolution enhancement relevant to forces on the nano- and sub-second scales, opening up new aspects of mechanobiology to analysis.
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Grants
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
- 212343/Z/18/Z Wellcome Trust
- 107457 Wellcome Trust
- 100262/Z/12/Z Wellcome Trust
- Wellcome Trust
- 091911 Wellcome Trust
- Medical Research Council
- L.B. would like to acknowledge funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Medical Research Council (EP/L016052/1). M.F., H.C.Y., K.K., and M.L.D. would like to thank the Rosalind Franklin Institute and the Kennedy Trust for Rheumatology Research (KTRR) for support. M.F., F.S., and H.C.Y. thank the Wellcome Trust (212343/Z/18/Z) and EPSRC (EP/S004459/1). M.L.D. also thank the Wellcome Trust for the Principal Research Fellowship awarded to M.D. (100262/Z/12/Z). Di.L. and D.L. are supported by a grant from the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST: 2017YFA0505301, 2016YFA0500203), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC; 91754202, 31827802), and the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. 2020094). N.K. thanks the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for funding his Feoder Lynen Fellowship. R.A.D acknowledge the Research Council of Norway (grant no. 301401) for funding. The TIRF-SIM platform was built in collaboration with and with funds from Micron (www.micronoxford.com), an Oxford-wide advanced microscopy technology consortium supported by Wellcome Strategic Awards (091911 and 107457) and an MRC/EPSRC/BBSRC next generation imaging award.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Barbieri
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Huw Colin-York
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Kennedy Institute for Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Di Li
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Deanna L Wolfson
- Department of Physics and Technology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Narain Karedla
- Kennedy Institute for Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Rosalind Franklin Institute, Didcot, UK
| | - Falk Schneider
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Kennedy Institute for Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Balpreet S Ahluwalia
- Department of Physics and Technology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Tore Seternes
- Norwegian College of Fishery Science, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Roy A Dalmo
- Norwegian College of Fishery Science, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Michael L Dustin
- Kennedy Institute for Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Dong Li
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Marco Fritzsche
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Kennedy Institute for Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Rosalind Franklin Institute, Didcot, UK.
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26
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Shi H, Wang C, Ma Z. Stimuli-responsive biomaterials for cardiac tissue engineering and dynamic mechanobiology. APL Bioeng 2021; 5:011506. [PMID: 33688616 PMCID: PMC7929620 DOI: 10.1063/5.0025378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the term "smart materials" was put forward in the 1980s, stimuli-responsive biomaterials have been used as powerful tools in tissue engineering, mechanobiology, and clinical applications. For the purpose of myocardial repair and regeneration, stimuli-responsive biomaterials are employed to fabricate hydrogels and nanoparticles for targeted delivery of therapeutic drugs and cells, which have been proved to alleviate disease progression and enhance tissue regeneration. By reproducing the sophisticated and dynamic microenvironment of the native heart, stimuli-responsive biomaterials have also been used to engineer dynamic culture systems to understand how cardiac cells and tissues respond to progressive changes in extracellular microenvironments, enabling the investigation of dynamic cell mechanobiology. Here, we provide an overview of stimuli-responsive biomaterials used in cardiovascular research applications, with a specific focus on cardiac tissue engineering and dynamic cell mechanobiology. We also discuss how these smart materials can be utilized to mimic the dynamic microenvironment during heart development, which might provide an opportunity to reveal the fundamental mechanisms of cardiomyogenesis and cardiac maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Zhen Ma
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:
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27
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Jorba I, Mostert D, Hermans LH, van der Pol A, Kurniawan NA, Bouten CV. In Vitro Methods to Model Cardiac Mechanobiology in Health and Disease. Tissue Eng Part C Methods 2021; 27:139-151. [PMID: 33514281 PMCID: PMC7984657 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tec.2020.0342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In vitro cardiac modeling has taken great strides in the past decade. While most cell and engineered tissue models have focused on cell and tissue contractile function as readouts, mechanobiological cues from the cell environment that affect this function, such as matrix stiffness or organization, are less well explored. In this study, we review two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) models of cardiac function that allow for systematic manipulation or precise control of mechanobiological cues under simulated (patho)physiological conditions while acquiring multiple readouts of cell and tissue function. We summarize the cell types used in these models and highlight the importance of linking 2D and 3D models to address the multiscale organization and mechanical behavior. Finally, we provide directions on how to advance in vitro modeling for cardiac mechanobiology using next generation hydrogels that mimic mechanical and structural environmental features at different length scales and diseased cell types, along with the development of new tissue fabrication and readout techniques. Impact statement Understanding the impact of mechanobiology in cardiac (patho)physiology is essential for developing effective tissue regeneration and drug discovery strategies and requires detailed cause-effect studies. The development of three-dimensional in vitro models allows for such studies with high experimental control, while integrating knowledge from complementary cell culture models and in vivo studies for this purpose. Complemented by the use of human-induced pluripotent stem cells, with or without predisposed genetic diseases, these in vitro models will offer promising outlooks to delineate the impact of mechanobiological cues on human cardiac (patho)physiology in a dish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignasi Jorba
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Dylan Mostert
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Leon H.L. Hermans
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Atze van der Pol
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Nicholas A. Kurniawan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Carlijn V.C. Bouten
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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28
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Petersen AP, Cho N, Lyra-Leite DM, Santoso JW, Gupta D, Ariyasinghe NR, McCain ML. Regulation of calcium dynamics and propagation velocity by tissue microstructure in engineered strands of cardiac tissue. Integr Biol (Camb) 2021; 12:34-46. [PMID: 32118279 DOI: 10.1093/intbio/zyaa003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Disruptions to cardiac tissue microstructure are common in diseased or injured myocardium and are known substrates for arrhythmias. However, we have a relatively coarse understanding of the relationships between myocardial tissue microstructure, propagation velocity and calcium cycling, due largely to the limitations of conventional experimental tools. To address this, we used microcontact printing to engineer strands of cardiac tissue with eight different widths, quantified several structural and functional parameters and established correlation coefficients. As strand width increased, actin alignment, nuclei density, sarcomere index and cell aspect ratio decreased with unique trends. The propagation velocity of calcium waves decreased and the rise time of calcium transients increased with increasing strand width. The decay time constant of calcium transients decreased and then slightly increased with increasing strand width. Based on correlation coefficients, actin alignment was the strongest predictor of propagation velocity and calcium transient rise time. Sarcomere index and cell aspect ratio were also strongly correlated with propagation velocity. Actin alignment, sarcomere index and cell aspect ratio were all weak predictors of the calcium transient decay time constant. We also measured the expression of several genes relevant to propagation and calcium cycling and found higher expression of the genes that encode for connexin 43 (Cx43) and a subunit of L-type calcium channels in thin strands compared to isotropic tissues. Together, these results suggest that thinner strands have higher values of propagation velocity and calcium transient rise time due to a combination of favorable tissue microstructure and enhanced expression of genes for Cx43 and L-type calcium channels. These data are important for defining how microstructural features regulate intercellular and intracellular calcium handling, which is needed to understand mechanisms of propagation in physiological situations and arrhythmogenesis in pathological situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P Petersen
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nathan Cho
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Davi M Lyra-Leite
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey W Santoso
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Divya Gupta
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nethika R Ariyasinghe
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Megan L McCain
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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29
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Yu J, Cai P, Chen X. Structural Regulation of Myocytes in Engineered Healthy and Diseased Cardiac Models. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2021; 4:267-276. [DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.0c01270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Yu
- Innovative Center for Flexible Devices (iFLEX), Max Planck-NTU Joint Lab for Artificial Senses, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 Singapore
| | - Pingqiang Cai
- Innovative Center for Flexible Devices (iFLEX), Max Planck-NTU Joint Lab for Artificial Senses, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 Singapore
| | - Xiaodong Chen
- Innovative Center for Flexible Devices (iFLEX), Max Planck-NTU Joint Lab for Artificial Senses, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 Singapore
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30
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Yang S, Valencia FR, Sabass B, Plotnikov SV. Quantitative Analysis of Myofibroblast Contraction by Traction Force Microscopy. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2299:181-195. [PMID: 34028744 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1382-5_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Myofibroblasts play important roles in physiological processes such as wound healing and tissue repair. While high contractile forces generated by the actomyosin network enable myofibroblasts to physically contract the wound and bring together injured tissue, prolonged and elevated levels of contraction also drive the progression of fibrosis and cancer. However, quantitative mapping of these forces has been difficult due to their extremely low magnitude ranging from 100 pN/μm2 to 2 nN/μm2. Here, we provide a protocol to measure cellular forces exerted on two-dimensional compliant elastic hydrogels. We describe the fabrication of polyacrylamide hydrogels labeled with fluorescent fiducial markers, functionalization of substrates with ECM proteins, setting up the experiment, and imaging procedures. We demonstrate the application of this technique for quantitative analysis of traction forces exerted by myofibroblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuying Yang
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Fernando R Valencia
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Benedikt Sabass
- Theoretical Physics of Living Matter, Institute of Biological Information Processing and Institute of Advanced Simulation, Forschungszentrum Juelich, Juelich, Germany
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Sergey V Plotnikov
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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31
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Engineering Shape-Controlled Microtissues on Compliant Hydrogels with Tunable Rigidity and Extracellular Matrix Ligands. Methods Mol Biol 2020. [PMID: 33340354 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1174-6_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
In vitro models that recapitulate key aspects of native tissue architecture and the physical microenvironment are emerging systems for modeling development and disease. For example, the myocardium consists of layers of aligned and coupled cardiac myocytes that are interspersed with supporting cells and embedded in a compliant extracellular matrix (ECM). These cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions are known to be important regulators of tissue physiology and pathophysiology. In this protocol, we describe a method for mimicking the alignment, cell-cell interactions, and rigidity of the myocardium by engineering an array of square, aligned cardiac microtissues on polyacrylamide hydrogels. This entails three key methods: (1) fabricating elastomer stamps with a microtissue pattern; (2) preparing polyacrylamide hydrogel culture substrates with tunable elastic moduli; and (3) transferring ECM proteins onto the surface of the hydrogels using microcontact printing. These hydrogels can then be seeded with cardiac myocytes or mixtures of cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts to adjust cell-cell interactions. Overall, this approach is advantageous because shape-controlled microtissues encompass both cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions in a form factor that is relatively reproducible and scalable. Furthermore, polyacrylamide hydrogels are compatible with the traction force microscopy assay for quantifying contractility, a critical function of the myocardium. Although cardiac microtissues are the example presented in this protocol, the techniques are relatively versatile and could have many applications in modeling other tissue systems.
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32
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Szepes M, Melchert A, Dahlmann J, Hegermann J, Werlein C, Jonigk D, Haverich A, Martin U, Olmer R, Gruh I. Dual Function of iPSC-Derived Pericyte-Like Cells in Vascularization and Fibrosis-Related Cardiac Tissue Remodeling In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21238947. [PMID: 33255686 PMCID: PMC7728071 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21238947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Myocardial interstitial fibrosis (MIF) is characterized by excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, increased myocardial stiffness, functional weakening, and compensatory cardiomyocyte (CM) hypertrophy. Fibroblasts (Fbs) are considered the principal source of ECM, but the contribution of perivascular cells, including pericytes (PCs), has gained attention, since MIF develops primarily around small vessels. The pathogenesis of MIF is difficult to study in humans because of the pleiotropy of mutually influencing pathomechanisms, unpredictable side effects, and the lack of available patient samples. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) offer the unique opportunity for the de novo formation of bioartificial cardiac tissue (BCT) using a variety of different cardiovascular cell types to model aspects of MIF pathogenesis in vitro. Here, we have optimized a protocol for the derivation of hPSC-derived PC-like cells (iPSC-PCs) and present a BCT in vitro model of MIF that shows their central influence on interstitial collagen deposition and myocardial tissue stiffening. This model was used to study the interplay of different cell types—i.e., hPSC-derived CMs, endothelial cells (ECs), and iPSC-PCs or primary Fbs, respectively. While iPSC-PCs improved the sarcomere structure and supported vascularization in a PC-like fashion, the functional and histological parameters of BCTs revealed EC- and PC-mediated effects on fibrosis-related cardiac tissue remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Szepes
- Leibniz Research Laboratories for Biotechnology and Artificial Organs (LEBAO), Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (M.S.); (A.M.); (J.D.); (A.H.); (U.M.); (R.O.)
- REBIRTH—Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Anna Melchert
- Leibniz Research Laboratories for Biotechnology and Artificial Organs (LEBAO), Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (M.S.); (A.M.); (J.D.); (A.H.); (U.M.); (R.O.)
- REBIRTH—Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Julia Dahlmann
- Leibniz Research Laboratories for Biotechnology and Artificial Organs (LEBAO), Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (M.S.); (A.M.); (J.D.); (A.H.); (U.M.); (R.O.)
- Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Jan Hegermann
- Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
- Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Research Core Unit Electron Microscopy, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Danny Jonigk
- REBIRTH—Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
- Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Axel Haverich
- Leibniz Research Laboratories for Biotechnology and Artificial Organs (LEBAO), Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (M.S.); (A.M.); (J.D.); (A.H.); (U.M.); (R.O.)
- REBIRTH—Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
- Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Ulrich Martin
- Leibniz Research Laboratories for Biotechnology and Artificial Organs (LEBAO), Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (M.S.); (A.M.); (J.D.); (A.H.); (U.M.); (R.O.)
- REBIRTH—Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
- Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Ruth Olmer
- Leibniz Research Laboratories for Biotechnology and Artificial Organs (LEBAO), Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (M.S.); (A.M.); (J.D.); (A.H.); (U.M.); (R.O.)
- Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Ina Gruh
- Leibniz Research Laboratories for Biotechnology and Artificial Organs (LEBAO), Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (M.S.); (A.M.); (J.D.); (A.H.); (U.M.); (R.O.)
- REBIRTH—Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-511-532-8901
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33
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Guo J, Simmons DW, Ramahdita G, Munsell MK, Oguntuyo K, Kandalaft B, Rios B, Pear M, Schuftan D, Jiang H, Lake SP, Genin GM, Huebsch N. Elastomer-Grafted iPSC-Derived Micro Heart Muscles to Investigate Effects of Mechanical Loading on Physiology. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2020; 7:2973-2989. [PMID: 34275296 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.0c00318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Mechanical loading plays a critical role in cardiac pathophysiology. Engineered heart tissues derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) allow rigorous investigations of the molecular and pathophysiological consequences of mechanical cues. However, many engineered heart muscle models have complex fabrication processes and require large cell numbers, making it difficult to use them together with iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes to study the influence of mechanical loading on pharmacology and genotype-phenotype relationships. To address this challenge, simple and scalable iPSC-derived micro-heart-muscle arrays (μHM) have been developed. "Dog-bone-shaped" molds define the boundary conditions for tissue formation. Here, we extend the μHM model by forming these tissues on elastomeric substrates with stiffnesses spanning from 5 to 30 kPa. Tissue assembly was achieved by covalently grafting fibronectin to the substrate. Compared to μHM formed on plastic, elastomer-grafted μHM exhibited a similar gross morphology, sarcomere assembly, and tissue alignment. When these tissues were formed on substrates with different elasticity, we observed marked shifts in contractility. Increased contractility was correlated with increases in calcium flux and a slight increase in cell size. This afterload-enhanced μHM system enables mechanical control of μHM and real-time tissue traction force microscopy for cardiac physiology measurements, providing a dynamic tool for studying pathophysiology and pharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxuan Guo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University in Saint Louis, University City, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Daniel W Simmons
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in Saint Louis, University City, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States.,NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, McKelvey School of Engineering, 1 Brookings Dr., St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Ghiska Ramahdita
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University in Saint Louis, University City, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States.,NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, McKelvey School of Engineering, 1 Brookings Dr., St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Mary K Munsell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in Saint Louis, University City, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Kasoorelope Oguntuyo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in Saint Louis, University City, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Brennan Kandalaft
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in Saint Louis, University City, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Brandon Rios
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in Saint Louis, University City, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Missy Pear
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in Saint Louis, University City, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - David Schuftan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in Saint Louis, University City, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Huanzhu Jiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in Saint Louis, University City, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Spencer P Lake
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University in Saint Louis, University City, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Guy M Genin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University in Saint Louis, University City, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States.,NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, McKelvey School of Engineering, 1 Brookings Dr., St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Nathaniel Huebsch
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in Saint Louis, University City, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States.,NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, McKelvey School of Engineering, 1 Brookings Dr., St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States.,Center for Cardiovascular Research, Center for Regenerative Medicine, Center for Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases, Washington University in Saint Louis, University City, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
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34
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Beverung S, Wu J, Steward R. Lab-on-a-Chip for Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathology. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:E898. [PMID: 32998305 PMCID: PMC7600691 DOI: 10.3390/mi11100898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Lab-on-a-chip technologies have allowed researchers to acquire a flexible, yet relatively inexpensive testbed to study one of the leading causes of death worldwide, cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular diseases, such as peripheral artery disease, arteriosclerosis, and aortic stenosis, for example, have all been studied by lab-on-a-chip technologies. These technologies allow for the integration of mammalian cells into functional structures that mimic vital organs with geometries comparable to those found in vivo. For this review, we focus on microdevices that have been developed to study cardiovascular physiology and pathology. With these technologies, researchers can better understand the electrical-biomechanical properties unique to cardiomyocytes and better stimulate and understand the influence of blood flow on the human vasculature. Such studies have helped increase our understanding of many cardiovascular diseases in general; as such, we present here a review of the current state of the field and potential for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Robert Steward
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA; (S.B.); (J.W.)
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35
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Abstract
Organs-on-chips are broadly defined as microfabricated surfaces or devices designed to engineer cells into microscale tissues with native-like features and then extract physiologically relevant readouts at scale. Because they are generally compatible with patient-derived cells, these technologies can address many of the human relevance limitations of animal models. As a result, organs-on-chips have emerged as a promising new paradigm for patient-specific disease modeling and drug development. Because neuromuscular diseases span a broad range of rare conditions with diverse etiology and complex pathophysiology, they have been especially challenging to model in animals and thus are well suited for organ-on-chip approaches. In this Review, we first briefly summarize the challenges in neuromuscular disease modeling with animal models. Next, we describe a variety of existing organ-on-chip approaches for neuromuscular tissues, including a survey of cell sources for both muscle and nerve, and two- and three-dimensional neuromuscular tissue-engineering techniques. Although researchers have made tremendous advances in modeling neuromuscular diseases on a chip, the remaining challenges in cell sourcing, cell maturity, tissue assembly and readout capabilities limit their integration into the drug development pipeline today. However, as the field advances, models of healthy and diseased neuromuscular tissues on a chip, coupled with animal models, have vast potential as complementary tools for modeling multiple aspects of neuromuscular diseases and identifying new therapeutic strategies. Summary: Modeling neuromuscular diseases is challenging due to their complex etiology and pathophysiology. Here, we review the cell sources and tissue-engineering procedures that are being integrated as emerging neuromuscular disease models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey W Santoso
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Megan L McCain
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA .,Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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36
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Miyaoka A, Tsukamoto Y, Takagi D, Seo M, Miyagawa S, Akashi M. Noninvasive optical coherence tomography imaging of three-dimensional cardiac tissues derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells. J Tissue Eng Regen Med 2020; 14:1384-1393. [PMID: 32593199 DOI: 10.1002/term.3092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Artificial three-dimensional (3D) tissues have the potential to be used in regenerative medicine or in vitro screening. In particular, the fabrication of 3-D cardiac tissues is greatly anticipated. However, hierarchical organization of 3-D tissues is still unknown. In regenerative medicine and drug discovery, noninvasive evaluation methods of 3-D tissues including inside of it play a key role. In this study, we report on noninvasive methods of analyzing bio-fabricated 3-D cardiac tissues using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and image analysis. Three-dimensional cardiac tissues were fabricated by coating of extracellular matrix nanofilms onto a cell surface using a layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. At first, we investigated the relationship between surface beating and its thickness to assess the value of internal analysis. The results showed that the surface beating was influenced by the thickness. Next, we tried to quantitatively evaluate the internal beating of 3-D cardiac tissues. We also confirmed the methods by changing the beating properties through the administration of isoproterenol. Our results demonstrated that the beating properties of 3-D cardiac tissues differed by depth. The results of this study suggest that information on the internal properties of 3-D cardiac tissue was necessary to understand how it functions. The combination of OCT and image analysis can be used to evaluate the internal beating properties, including changes in beating induced by a drug. It is suggested that OCT and image analysis have the potential to be used as noninvasive methods in regenerative medicine and pharmaceutical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Miyaoka
- Biomedical Research Department, Healthcare Research & Development Center, Ricoh Institute of Future Technology, RICOH COMPANY, LTD., Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Yoshinari Tsukamoto
- Building Block Science Joint Research Chair, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Daisuke Takagi
- Biomedical Research Department, Healthcare Research & Development Center, Ricoh Institute of Future Technology, RICOH COMPANY, LTD., Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Manabu Seo
- Biomedical Research Department, Healthcare Research & Development Center, Ricoh Institute of Future Technology, RICOH COMPANY, LTD., Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Shigeru Miyagawa
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Akashi
- Building Block Science Joint Research Chair, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
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37
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Guo J, Huebsch N. Modeling the Response of Heart Muscle to Mechanical Stimulation In Vitro. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s43152-020-00007-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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38
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Seelbinder B, Scott AK, Nelson I, Schneider SE, Calahan K, Neu CP. TENSCell: Imaging of Stretch-Activated Cells Reveals Divergent Nuclear Behavior and Tension. Biophys J 2020; 118:2627-2640. [PMID: 32407683 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.03.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms of cellular and nuclear mechanosensation are unclear, partially because of a lack of methods that can reveal dynamic processes. Here, we present a new concept for a low-cost, three-dimensionally printed device that enables high-magnification imaging of cells during stretch. We observed that nuclei of mouse embryonic skin fibroblasts underwent rapid (within minutes) and divergent responses, characterized by nuclear area expansion during 5% strain but nuclear area shrinkage during 20% strain. Only responses to low strain were dependent on calcium signaling, whereas actin inhibition abrogated all nuclear responses and increased nuclear strain transfer and DNA damage. Imaging of actin dynamics during stretch revealed similar divergent trends, with F-actin shifting away from (5% strain) or toward (20% strain) the nuclear periphery. Our findings emphasize the importance of simultaneous stimulation and data acquisition to capture mechanosensitive responses and suggest that mechanical confinement of nuclei through actin may be a protective mechanism during high mechanical stretch or loading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Seelbinder
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Adrienne K Scott
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Isabel Nelson
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Stephanie E Schneider
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Kristin Calahan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Corey P Neu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado.
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39
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O’Connor BB, Grevesse T, Zimmerman JF, Ardoña HAM, Jimenez JA, Bitounis D, Demokritou P, Parker KK. Human brain microvascular endothelial cell pairs model tissue-level blood-brain barrier function. Integr Biol (Camb) 2020; 12:64-79. [PMID: 32195539 PMCID: PMC7155416 DOI: 10.1093/intbio/zyaa005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier plays a critical role in delivering oxygen and nutrients to the brain while preventing the transport of neurotoxins. Predicting the ability of potential therapeutics and neurotoxicants to modulate brain barrier function remains a challenge due to limited spatial resolution and geometric constraints offered by existing in vitro models. Using soft lithography to control the shape of microvascular tissues, we predicted blood-brain barrier permeability states based on structural changes in human brain endothelial cells. We quantified morphological differences in nuclear, junction, and cytoskeletal proteins that influence, or indicate, barrier permeability. We established a correlation between brain endothelial cell pair structure and permeability by treating cell pairs and tissues with known cytoskeleton-modulating agents, including a Rho activator, a Rho inhibitor, and a cyclic adenosine monophosphate analog. Using this approach, we found that high-permeability cell pairs showed nuclear elongation, loss of junction proteins, and increased actin stress fiber formation, which were indicative of increased contractility. We measured traction forces generated by high- and low-permeability pairs, finding that higher stress at the intercellular junction contributes to barrier leakiness. We further tested the applicability of this platform to predict modulations in brain endothelial permeability by exposing cell pairs to engineered nanomaterials, including gold, silver-silica, and cerium oxide nanoparticles, thereby uncovering new insights into the mechanism of nanoparticle-mediated barrier disruption. Overall, we confirm the utility of this platform to assess the multiscale impact of pharmacological agents or environmental toxicants on blood-brain barrier integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blakely B O’Connor
- Disease Biophysics Group, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Thomas Grevesse
- Disease Biophysics Group, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - John F Zimmerman
- Disease Biophysics Group, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Herdeline Ann M Ardoña
- Disease Biophysics Group, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Jorge A Jimenez
- Disease Biophysics Group, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Dimitrios Bitounis
- Center for Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology, Department of Environmental Health, T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Philip Demokritou
- Center for Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology, Department of Environmental Health, T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kevin Kit Parker
- Disease Biophysics Group, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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40
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Blair CA, Pruitt BL. Mechanobiology Assays with Applications in Cardiomyocyte Biology and Cardiotoxicity. Adv Healthc Mater 2020; 9:e1901656. [PMID: 32270928 PMCID: PMC7480481 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201901656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cardiomyocytes are the motor units that drive the contraction and relaxation of the heart. Traditionally, testing of drugs for cardiotoxic effects has relied on primary cardiomyocytes from animal models and focused on short-term, electrophysiological, and arrhythmogenic effects. However, primary cardiomyocytes present challenges arising from their limited viability in culture, and tissue from animal models suffers from a mismatch in their physiology to that of human heart muscle. Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) can address these challenges. They also offer the potential to study not only electrophysiological effects but also changes in cardiomyocyte contractile and mechanical function in response to cardiotoxic drugs. With growing recognition of the long-term cardiotoxic effects of some drugs on subcellular structure and function, there is increasing interest in using hiPSC-CMs for in vitro cardiotoxicity studies. This review provides a brief overview of techniques that can be used to quantify changes in the active force that cardiomyocytes generate and variations in their inherent stiffness in response to cardiotoxic drugs. It concludes by discussing the application of these tools in understanding how cardiotoxic drugs directly impact the mechanobiology of cardiomyocytes and how cardiomyocytes sense and respond to mechanical load at the cellular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheavar A. Blair
- Department of mechanical Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Beth L. Pruitt
- Department of mechanical Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
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41
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Islam MM, Steward RL. Perturbing Endothelial Biomechanics via Connexin 43 Structural Disruption. J Vis Exp 2019. [PMID: 31633688 DOI: 10.3791/60034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Endothelial cells have been established to generate intercellular stresses and tractions, but the role gap junctions play in endothelial intercellular stress and traction generation is currently unknown. Therefore, we present here a mechanics-based protocol to probe the influence of gap junction connexin 43 (Cx43) has on endothelial biomechanics by exposing confluent endothelial monolayers to a known Cx43 inhibitor 2,5-dihydroxychalcone (chalcone) and measuring the impact this inhibitor has on tractions and intercellular stresses. We present representative results, which show a decrease in both tractions and intercellular stresses under a high chalcone dosage (2 µg/mL) when compared to control. This protocol can be applied to not just Cx43, but also other gap junctions as well, assuming the appropriate inhibitor is used. We believe this protocol will be useful in the fields of cardiovascular and mechanobiology research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Mydul Islam
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida
| | - Robert L Steward
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida; Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida;
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42
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Lyra-Leite DM, Andres AM, Cho N, Petersen AP, Ariyasinghe NR, Kim SS, Gottlieb RA, McCain ML. Matrix-guided control of mitochondrial function in cardiac myocytes. Acta Biomater 2019; 97:281-295. [PMID: 31401347 PMCID: PMC6801042 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2019.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
In ventricular myocardium, extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling is a hallmark of physiological and pathological growth, coincident with metabolic rewiring of cardiac myocytes. However, the direct impact of the biochemical and mechanical properties of the ECM on the metabolic function of cardiac myocytes is mostly unknown. Furthermore, understanding the impact of distinct biomaterials on cardiac myocyte metabolism is critical for engineering physiologically-relevant models of healthy and diseased myocardium. For these reasons, we systematically measured morphological and metabolic responses of neonatal rat ventricular myocytes cultured on fibronectin- or gelatin-coated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) of three elastic moduli and gelatin hydrogels with four elastic moduli. On all substrates, total protein content, cell morphology, and the ratio of mitochondrial DNA to nuclear DNA were preserved. Cytotoxicity was low on all substrates, although slightly higher on PDMS compared to gelatin hydrogels. We also quantified oxygen consumption rates and extracellular acidification rates using a Seahorse extracellular flux analyzer. Our data indicate that several metrics associated with baseline glycolysis and baseline and maximum mitochondrial function are enhanced when cardiac myocytes are cultured on gelatin hydrogels compared to all PDMS substrates, irrespective of substrate rigidity. These results yield new insights into how mechanical and biochemical cues provided by the ECM impact mitochondrial function in cardiac myocytes. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Cardiac development and disease are associated with remodeling of the extracellular matrix coincident with metabolic rewiring of cardiac myocytes. However, little is known about the direct impact of the biochemical and mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix on the metabolic function of cardiac myocytes. In this study, oxygen consumption rates were measured in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes maintained on several commonly-used biomaterial substrates to reveal new relationships between the extracellular matrix and cardiac myocyte metabolism. Several mitochondrial parameters were enhanced on gelatin hydrogels compared to synthetic PDMS substrates. These data are important for comprehensively understanding matrix-regulation of cardiac myocyte physiology. Additionally, these data should be considered when selecting scaffolds for engineering in vitro cardiac tissue models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davi M Lyra-Leite
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA, 90089, United States
| | - Allen M Andres
- Smidt Heart Institute and Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles CA, 90048, United States
| | - Nathan Cho
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA, 90089, United States
| | - Andrew P Petersen
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA, 90089, United States
| | - Nethika R Ariyasinghe
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA, 90089, United States
| | - Suyon Sarah Kim
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA, 90089, United States
| | - Roberta A Gottlieb
- Smidt Heart Institute and Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles CA, 90048, United States
| | - Megan L McCain
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA, 90089, United States; Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA, 90033, United States.
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43
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Rodriguez ML, Beussman KM, Chun KS, Walzer MS, Yang X, Murry CE, Sniadecki NJ. Substrate Stiffness, Cell Anisotropy, and Cell-Cell Contact Contribute to Enhanced Structural and Calcium Handling Properties of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2019; 5:3876-3888. [PMID: 33438427 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b01256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) can be utilized to understand the mechanisms underlying the development and progression of heart disease, as well as to develop better interventions and treatments for this disease. However, these cells are structurally and functionally immature, which undermines some of their adequacy in modeling adult heart tissue. Previous studies with immature cardiomyocytes have shown that altering substrate stiffness, cell anisotropy, and/or cell-cell contact can enhance the contractile and structural maturation of hPSC-CMs. In this study, the structural and calcium handling properties of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) were enhanced by exposure to a downselected combination of these three maturation stimuli. First, hESC-CMs were seeded onto substrates composed of two commercial formulations of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), Sylgard 184 and Sylgard 527, whose stiffness ranged from 5 kPa to 101 kPa. Upon analyzing the morphological and calcium transient properties of these cells, it was concluded that a 21 kPa substrate yielded cells with the highest degree of maturation. Next, these PDMS substrates were microcontact-printed with laminin to force the cultured cells into rod-shaped geometries using line patterns that were 12, 18, or 24 μm in width. We found that cells on the 18 and 24 μm pattern widths had structural and functional properties that were superior to those on the 12 μm pattern. The hESC-CMs were then seeded onto these line-stamped surfaces at a density of 500 000 cells per 25-mm-diameter substrate, to enable the formation of cell-cell contacts at their distal ends. We discovered that this combination of culture conditions resulted in cells that were more structurally and functionally mature than those that were only exposed to one or two stimuli. Our results suggest that downselecting a combination of mechanobiological stimuli could prove to be an effective means of maturing hPSC-CMs in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marita L Rodriguez
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Kevin M Beussman
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Katherine S Chun
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Melissa S Walzer
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Xiulan Yang
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States.,Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States.,Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
| | - Charles E Murry
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States.,Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States.,Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States.,Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States.,Department of Medicine/Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Nathan J Sniadecki
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States.,Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States.,Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States.,Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
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44
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Ariyasinghe NR, Lyra-Leite DM, McCain ML. Engineering cardiac microphysiological systems to model pathological extracellular matrix remodeling. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2018; 315:H771-H789. [PMID: 29906229 PMCID: PMC6230901 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00110.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 05/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Many cardiovascular diseases are associated with pathological remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in the myocardium. ECM remodeling is a complex, multifactorial process that often contributes to declines in myocardial function and progression toward heart failure. However, the direct effects of the many forms of ECM remodeling on myocardial cell and tissue function remain elusive, in part because conventional model systems used to investigate these relationships lack robust experimental control over the ECM. To address these shortcomings, microphysiological systems are now being developed and implemented to establish direct relationships between distinct features in the ECM and myocardial function with unprecedented control and resolution in vitro. In this review, we will first highlight the most prominent characteristics of ECM remodeling in cardiovascular disease and describe how these features can be mimicked with synthetic and natural biomaterials that offer independent control over multiple ECM-related parameters, such as rigidity and composition. We will then detail innovative microfabrication techniques that enable precise regulation of cellular architecture in two and three dimensions. We will also describe new approaches for quantifying multiple aspects of myocardial function in vitro, such as contractility, action potential propagation, and metabolism. Together, these collective technologies implemented as cardiac microphysiological systems will continue to uncover important relationships between pathological ECM remodeling and myocardial cell and tissue function, leading to new fundamental insights into cardiovascular disease, improved human disease models, and novel therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nethika R Ariyasinghe
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California
| | - Davi M Lyra-Leite
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California
| | - Megan L McCain
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California
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45
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Greenberg MJ, Daily NJ, Wang A, Conway MK, Wakatsuki T. Genetic and Tissue Engineering Approaches to Modeling the Mechanics of Human Heart Failure for Drug Discovery. Front Cardiovasc Med 2018; 5:120. [PMID: 30283789 PMCID: PMC6156537 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2018.00120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Heart failure is the leading cause of death in the western world and as such, there is a great need for new therapies. Heart failure has a variable presentation in patients and a complex etiology; however, it is fundamentally a condition that affects the mechanics of cardiac contraction, preventing the heart from generating sufficient cardiac output under normal operating pressures. One of the major issues hindering the development of new therapies has been difficulties in developing appropriate in vitro model systems of human heart failure that recapitulate the essential changes in cardiac mechanics seen in the disease. Recent advances in stem cell technologies, genetic engineering, and tissue engineering have the potential to revolutionize our ability to model and study heart failure in vitro. Here, we review how these technologies are being applied to develop personalized models of heart failure and discover novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | | | - Ann Wang
- InvivoSciences Inc., Madison, WI, United States
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