Lifeink 240 Bioprinted Contractile Heart Tube
04/06/22
Publication Title:
FRESH 3D Bioprinting a Contractile Heart Tube Using Human Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes
Advanced BioMatrix Products Used:
Lifeink® 240, 35 mg/ml type I Collagen Bioink
How the products were used:
Lifenk 240 was 3D bioprinted into heart tubes using FRESH printing. The bioprinted heart tubes were cellularized using human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts and formed patent, perfusable constructs. Synchronous contractions were achieved after ∼3–4 days and were maintained for up to a month.
Image below courtesy of Jaci Bliley and Carnegie Mellon University. This is a confocal image of the whole tube construct with cardiac tissue wrapped around it. The red is alpha actinin which labels cardiomyocytes within the tissue and the green is the 3D printed collagen.
Article Conclusion:
Immunofluorescent staining confirmed large, interconnected networks of sarcomeric alpha actinin-positive cardiomyocytes. Electrophysiology was assessed using calcium imaging and demonstrated anisotropic calcium wave propagation along the heart tube with a conduction velocity of ∼5 cm s−1. Contractility and function was demonstrated by tracking the movement of fluorescent beads within the lumen to estimate fluid displacement and bead velocity. These results establish the feasibility of creating a 3D bioprinted human heart tube and serve as an initial step towards engineering more complex heart muscle structures.
Link to the publication:
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1758-5090/ac58be
