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Cruz-Moreira D, Visone R, Vasques-Nóvoa F, S Barros A, Leite-Moreira A, Redaelli A, Moretti M, Rasponi M. Assessing the influence of perfusion on cardiac microtissue maturation: A heart-on-chip platform embedding peristaltic pump capabilities. Biotechnol Bioeng 2021; 118:3128-3137. [PMID: 34019719 PMCID: PMC8362142 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Heart‐on‐chip is an unprecedented technology for recapitulating key biochemical and biophysical cues in cardiac pathophysiology. Several designs have been proposed to improve its ability to mimic the native tissue and establish it as a reliable research platform. However, despite mimicking one of most vascularized organs, reliable strategies to deliver oxygen and substrates to densely packed constructs of metabolically demanding cells remain unsettled. Herein, we describe a new heart‐on‐chip platform with precise fluid control, integrating an on‐chip peristaltic pump, allowing automated and fine control over flow on channels flanking a 3D cardiac culture. The application of distinct flow rates impacted on temporal dynamics of microtissue structural and transcriptional maturation, improving functional performance. Moreover, a widespread transcriptional response was observed, suggesting flow‐mediated activation of critical pathways of cardiomyocyte structural and functional maturation and inhibition of cardiomyocyte hypoxic injury. In conclusion, the present design represents an important advance in bringing engineered cardiac microtissues closer to the native heart, overcoming traditional bulky off‐chip fluid handling systems, improving microtissue performance, and matching oxygen and energy substrate requirements of metabolically active constructs, avoiding cellular hypoxia. Distinct flow patterns differently impact on microtissue performance and gene expression program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Cruz-Moreira
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Roberta Visone
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Francisco Vasques-Nóvoa
- Cardiovascular Research and Development Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Department of Surgery and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - António S Barros
- Cardiovascular Research and Development Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Department of Surgery and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Adelino Leite-Moreira
- Cardiovascular Research and Development Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Department of Surgery and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Alberto Redaelli
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Matteo Moretti
- Cell and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Milan, Italy.,Regenerative Medicine Technologies Lab, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Marco Rasponi
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
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Visone R, Ugolini GS, Cruz-Moreira D, Marzorati S, Piazza S, Pesenti E, Redaelli A, Moretti M, Occhetta P, Rasponi M. Micro-electrode channel guide (µECG) technology: an online method for continuous electrical recording in a human beating heart-on-chip. Biofabrication 2021; 13. [PMID: 33561845 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/abe4c4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cardiac toxicity still represents a common adverse outcome causing drug attrition and post-marketing withdrawal. The development of relevant in vitro models resembling the human heart recently opened the path towards a more accurate detection of drug-induced human cardiac toxicity early in the drug development process. Organs-on-chip (OoC) have been proposed as promising tools to recapitulate in vitro the key aspects of the in vivo cardiac physiology and to provide a means to directly analyze functional readouts. In this scenario, a new device capable of continuous monitoring of electrophysiological signals from functional in vitro human hearts-on-chip is here presented. The development of cardiac microtissues was achieved through a recently published method to control the mechanical environment, while the introduction of a technology consisting in micro-electrode coaxial guides (µECG) allowed to conduct direct and non-destructive electrophysiology studies. The generated human cardiac microtissues exhibited synchronous spontaneous beating, as demonstrated by multi-point and continuous acquisition of cardiac field potential, and expression of relevant genes encoding for cardiac ion-channels. A proof-of-concept pharmacological validation on 3 drugs proved the proposed model to potentially be a powerful tool to evaluate functional cardiac toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Visone
- Politecnico di Milano Dipartimento di Elettronica Informazione e Bioingegneria, Via Ponzio 34/5, Milano, Lombardia, 20133, ITALY
| | - Giovanni Stefano Ugolini
- Politecnico di Milano Dipartimento di Elettronica Informazione e Bioingegneria, Via Ponzio 34/5, Milano, Lombardia, 20133, ITALY
| | - Daniela Cruz-Moreira
- Politecnico di Milano Dipartimento di Elettronica Informazione e Bioingegneria, Via Ponzio 34/5, Milano, Lombardia, 20133, ITALY
| | - Simona Marzorati
- Translational Medicine, Accelera Srl, via Pasteur, Nerviano, Nerviano, MI, 20100, ITALY
| | - Stefano Piazza
- BiomimX Srl, Via Giovanni Durando 38/A, Milan, 20158, ITALY
| | | | - Alberto Redaelli
- Politecnico di Milano Dipartimento di Elettronica Informazione e Bioingegneria, Via Ponzio 34/5, Milano, Lombardia, 20133, ITALY
| | - Matteo Moretti
- Cell and Tissue Engineering Lab, IRCCS Galeazzi Orthopaedic Institute, via R Galeazzi 4, Milan, 20161, ITALY
| | - Paola Occhetta
- Politecnico di Milano Dipartimento di Elettronica Informazione e Bioingegneria, Via Ponzio 34/5, Milano, Lombardia, 20133, ITALY
| | - Marco Rasponi
- Politecnico di Milano Dipartimento di Elettronica Informazione e Bioingegneria, Via Ponzio 34/5, Milano, Lombardia, 20133, ITALY
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Kumar N, Sridharan D, Palaniappan A, Dougherty JA, Czirok A, Isai DG, Mergaye M, Angelos MG, Powell HM, Khan M. Scalable Biomimetic Coaxial Aligned Nanofiber Cardiac Patch: A Potential Model for "Clinical Trials in a Dish". Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:567842. [PMID: 33042968 PMCID: PMC7525187 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.567842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in cardiac tissue engineering have shown that human induced-pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) cultured in a three-dimensional (3D) micro-environment exhibit superior physiological characteristics compared with their two-dimensional (2D) counterparts. These 3D cultured hiPSC-CMs have been used for drug testing as well as cardiac repair applications. However, the fabrication of a cardiac scaffold with optimal biomechanical properties and high biocompatibility remains a challenge. In our study, we fabricated an aligned polycaprolactone (PCL)-Gelatin coaxial nanofiber patch using electrospinning. The structural, chemical, and mechanical properties of the patch were assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), immunocytochemistry (ICC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)-spectroscopy, and tensile testing. hiPSC-CMs were cultured on the aligned coaxial patch for 2 weeks and their viability [lactate dehydrogenase (LDH assay)], morphology (SEM, ICC), and functionality [calcium cycling, multielectrode array (MEA)] were assessed. Furthermore, particle image velocimetry (PIV) and MEA were used to evaluate the cardiotoxicity and physiological functionality of the cells in response to cardiac drugs. Nanofibers patches were comprised of highly aligned core-shell fibers with an average diameter of 578 ± 184 nm. Acellular coaxial patches were significantly stiffer than gelatin alone with an ultimate tensile strength of 0.780 ± 0.098 MPa, but exhibited gelatin-like biocompatibility. Furthermore, hiPSC-CMs cultured on the surface of these aligned coaxial patches (3D cultures) were elongated and rod-shaped with well-organized sarcomeres, as observed by the expression of cardiac troponin-T and α-sarcomeric actinin. Additionally, hiPSC-CMs cultured on these coaxial patches formed a functional syncytium evidenced by the expression of connexin-43 (Cx-43) and synchronous calcium transients. Moreover, MEA analysis showed that the hiPSC-CMs cultured on aligned patches showed an improved response to cardiac drugs like Isoproterenol (ISO), Verapamil (VER), and E4031, compared to the corresponding 2D cultures. Overall, our results demonstrated that an aligned, coaxial 3D cardiac patch can be used for culturing of hiPSC-CMs. These biomimetic cardiac patches could further be used as a potential 3D in vitro model for "clinical trials in a dish" and for in vivo cardiac repair applications for treating myocardial infarction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naresh Kumar
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Divya Sridharan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Arunkumar Palaniappan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
- Centre for Biomaterials, Cellular and Molecular Theranostics, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
| | - Julie A. Dougherty
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Andras Czirok
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Dona Greta Isai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Muhamad Mergaye
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Mark G. Angelos
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Heather M. Powell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Research Department, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Mahmood Khan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
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Abstract
High-throughput in vitro models lack human-relevant complexity, which undermines their ability to accurately mimic in vivo biologic and pathologic responses. The emergence of microphysiological systems (MPS) presents an opportunity to revolutionize in vitro modeling for both basic biomedical research and applied drug discovery. The MPS platform has been an area of interdisciplinary collaboration to develop new, predictive, and reliable in vitro methods for regulatory acceptance. The current MPS models have been developed to recapitulate an organ or tissue on a smaller scale. However, the complexity of these models (ie, including all cell types present in the in vivo tissue) with appropriate structural, functional, and biochemical attributes are often not fully characterized. Here, we provide an overview of the capabilities and limitations of the microfluidic MPS model (aka organs-on-chips) within the scope of drug development. We recommend the engagement of pathologists early in the MPS design, characterization, and validation phases, because this will enable development of more robust and comprehensive MPS models that can accurately replicate normal biology and pathophysiology and hence be more predictive of human responses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Terry Van Vleet
- Global Preclinical Safety, AbbVie Inc, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Brian R Berridge
- National Toxicology Program, The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
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Alassaf A, Tansik G, Mayo V, Wubker L, Carbonero D, Agarwal A. Engineering anisotropic cardiac monolayers on microelectrode arrays for non-invasive analyses of electrophysiological properties. Analyst 2020; 145:139-149. [DOI: 10.1039/c9an01339c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Engineering cardiac tissues with physiological architectural and mechanical properties on microelectrode arrays enables long term culture and non-invasive collection of electrophysiological readouts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Alassaf
- Department of Biomedical Engineering
- University of Miami
- Coral Gables
- USA
- Department of Medical Equipment Technology
| | - Gulistan Tansik
- Department of Biomedical Engineering
- University of Miami
- Coral Gables
- USA
| | - Vera Mayo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering
- University of Miami
- Coral Gables
- USA
| | - Laura Wubker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering
- University of Miami
- Coral Gables
- USA
| | - Daniel Carbonero
- Department of Biomedical Engineering
- University of Miami
- Coral Gables
- USA
| | - Ashutosh Agarwal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering
- University of Miami
- Coral Gables
- USA
- Dr. John T Macdonald Foundation Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute at the University of Miami
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Fu F, Shang L, Chen Z, Yu Y, Zhao Y. Bioinspired living structural color hydrogels. Sci Robot 2018; 3:3/16/eaar8580. [DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.aar8580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 333] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Greenman J. Looking to the future of organs-on-chip. Future Sci OA 2017; 3:FSO205. [PMID: 28670479 PMCID: PMC5481857 DOI: 10.4155/fsoa-2017-0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- John Greenman
- School of Life Sciences, The University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
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