Human-induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived cardiomyocytes are widely employed in global in vitro studies for both pharmacological and pathological research. Specifically, evaluating the functionality of heart tissues generated from these iPS cell-derived cardiomyocytes holds the promise of accurately predicting the effects of drugs, thereby streamlining the drug development process. Nevertheless, the existing method of assessing the electrical and contractile properties of cardiomyocytes on a rigid surface isn’t suitable for the dynamic beating nature of cardiac tissues.
In this study, we introduce an innovative simultaneous measurement system capable of assessing the contractile force and extracellular field potential of iPS cell-derived cardiac cell sheet-tissues. This system utilizes 500 nm-thick flexible electronic sheets. Our findings confirm that this developed system is not only suitable for conducting pharmacological studies but also for evaluating parameters related to excitation-contraction coupling, such as the electro-mechanical window. These results highlight the potential of employing flexible electronics in conjunction with cardiac tissue engineering, presenting an advanced platform for drug development. This novel system stands to offer valuable insights into the pharmacological study of human cardiac function.
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1LC00411E