Name: automated contraction analysis of human engineered heart tissue for cardiac drug safety screening
Uploaded: 2017-04-15T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Automated Contraction Analysis of Human Engineered Heart Tissue for Cardiac Drug Safety Screening at JoVE.com

The authors are grateful to Alessandra Moretti and Dennis Schade for their kind contribution of material. We acknowledge the great support of the iPS and EHT working group at the Department of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology of the UKE. The work of the authors is supported by grants from the DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research) and the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the German Research Foundation (DFG Es 88/12-1, HA 3423/5-1), British National Centre for the Replacement Refinement &amp; Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs CRACK-IT grant 35911-259146), the British Heart Foundation RM/13/30157, the European Research Council (Advanced Grant IndivuHeart), the German Heart Foundation and the Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg.

NOTE: The following steps describe a cell culture protocol. Please perform under sterile conditions and use pre-warmed media.
1. Cardiac Differentiation of hiPSC
<ol>
	<li>Cultivate the hiPSC
	<ol>
		<li>Coat 6-well plates (1 mL/well) or T75 flasks (7 mL/flask) with reduced growth factor basement membrane matrix (e.g. geltrex, 1:200; see table of materials) diluted in Dulbecco&#39;s modified Eagle medium (DMEM) for 30 min at 37 &#176;C. Prepare FTDA medium<sup class...

<ol>
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R., Greber, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Small+molecule-assisted,+line-independent+maintenance+of+human+pluripotent+stem+cells+in+defined+conditions.">Small molecule-assisted, line-independent maintenance of human pluripotent stem cells in defined conditions.</a> PloS One. 7 (7), e41958 (2012).</li><li>Lanier, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Wnt+inhibition+correlates+with+human+embryonic+stem+cell+cardiomyogenesis:+A+structure-activity+relationship+study+based+on+inhibitors+for+the+Wnt+response.">Wnt inhibition correlates with human embryonic stem cell cardiomyogenesis: A structure-activity relationship study based on inhibitors for the Wnt response.</a> J Med Chem. 55 (2), 697-708 (2012).</li><li>Hirt, M. 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W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Evidence+for+FHL1+as+a+novel+disease+gene+for+isolated+hypertrophic+cardiomyopathy.">Evidence for FHL1 as a novel disease gene for isolated hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.</a> Hum Mol Genet. 21 (14), 3237-3254 (2012).</li><li>Crocini, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Impact+of+ANKRD1+mutations+associated+with+hypertrophic+cardiomyopathy+on+contraction+parameters+of+engineered+heart+tissue.">Impact of ANKRD1 mutations associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy on contraction parameters of engineered heart tissue.</a> Bas Res Cardiol. 108 (3), 349 (2013).</li><li>Fiedler, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Development+of+Long+Noncoding+RNA-Based+Strategies+to+Modulate+Tissue+Vascularization.">Development of Long Noncoding RNA-Based Strategies to Modulate Tissue Vascularization.</a> J Am Coll Cardiol. 66 (18), 2005-2015 (2015).</li><li>van Meer, B. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Small+molecule+absorption+by+PDMS+in+the+context+of+drug+response+bioassays.">Small molecule absorption by PDMS in the context of drug response bioassays.</a> Biochem Biophysl Res Commun. , (2016).</li><li>Godier-Furn&#233;mont, A. F. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Physiologic+force-frequency+response+in+engineered+heart+muscle+by+electromechanical+stimulation.">Physiologic force-frequency response in engineered heart muscle by electromechanical stimulation.</a> Biomaterials. 60, 82-91 (2015).</li><li>Eng, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Autonomous+beating+rate+adaptation+in+human+stem+cell-derived+cardiomyocytes.">Autonomous beating rate adaptation in human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes.</a> Nat Commun. 7, 10312 (2016).</li><li>Huebsch, N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Miniaturized+iPS-Cell-Derived+Cardiac+Muscles+for+Physiologically+Relevant+Drug+Response+Analyses.">Miniaturized iPS-Cell-Derived Cardiac Muscles for Physiologically Relevant Drug Response Analyses.</a> Sci Rep. 6 (24726), 1-12 (2016).</li><li>Masumoto, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+myocardial+regenerative+potential+of+three-dimensional+engineered+cardiac+tissues+composed+of+multiple+human+iPS+cell-derived+cardiovascular+cell+lineages.">The myocardial regenerative potential of three-dimensional engineered cardiac tissues composed of multiple human iPS cell-derived cardiovascular cell lineages.</a> Sci Rep. 6 (29933), 1-10 (2016).</li><li>Ravenscroft, S. M., Pointon, A., Williams, A. W., Cross, M. J., Sidaway, J. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cardiac+Non-myocyte+Cells+Show+Enhanced+Pharmacological+Function+Suggestive+of+Contractile+Maturity+in+Stem+Cell+Derived+Cardiomyocyte+Microtissues.">Cardiac Non-myocyte Cells Show Enhanced Pharmacological Function Suggestive of Contractile Maturity in Stem Cell Derived Cardiomyocyte Microtissues.</a> Toxicol Sci. 152 (1), 99-112 (2016).</li><li>Zhang, J. H., Chung, T. D. Y., Oldenbutg, K. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+Simple+Statistical+Parameter+for+Use+in+Evaluation+and+Validation+of+High+Throughput+Screening+Assays.">A Simple Statistical Parameter for Use in Evaluation and Validation of High Throughput Screening Assays.</a> J Biomol Screen. 4 (2), 67-73 (1999).</li><li>Vandenburgh, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Durg-screening+platform+based+on+the+contractility+of+tissue-engineered+muscle.">Durg-screening platform based on the contractility of tissue-engineered muscle.</a> Muscle Nerve. 37 (4), 438-447 (2008).</li></ol>

Engineered heart tissue offers a valuable option to the tool box of cardiovascular research. EHTs in the 24-well format have proven valuable for disease modeling8,14, drug safety screening7,8,10,11,15, or basic cardiovascular research16,17....

Cardiac side effects such as the drug-induced long QT syndrome have led to market withdrawals over the past years. Statistics indicate that about 45% of all withdrawals are due to unwanted effects on the cardiovascular system1. This drug failure after the expensive developmental process and approval is the worst-case scenario for pharmaceutical companies. Research and development departments therefore focus on detection of such unwanted cardiovascular effects early on. For economic and ethical concerns, efforts to reduce animal experiments and replace them with new in vitro screening assays are ongoing.
A set of established assays are included in the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) guidelines for preclinical evaluation of proarrhythmic drug effects2. The technology of reprogramming somatic cells followed by differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) boosted this research field3. It now offers the possibility to screen new drug candidates on human cardiomyocytes in vitro and avoids issues with inter-species differences. Recent cardiac differentiation protocols4,5 provide unlimited supply of cardiomyocytes without ethical concern. However, the measurement of contractile force, the most important and best characterized in vivo parameter of cardiomyocytes, is not well established. This is related to the relative immaturity6 of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CM) as compared to the adult cardiomyocyte. A possible advancement is to engineer 3-dimensional heart tissue from single cells7 (engineered heart tissue, EHT). The EHT protocol is based on embedding single murine or human cardiomyocytes8,9,10 in fibrin hydrogel between two flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) posts11 in 24-well format. Within a few days the cardiomyocytes start to contract spontaneously as single cells and start to form cellular networks. After 7-10 days, macroscopic contractions of the entire tissue are visible. During this process the extracellular matrix is remodeled, which leads to a decrease of diameter and length. The shortening of the EHT results in bending of the PDMS post even during rest, subjecting cardiomyocytes in the developing EHT to continuous load. EHTs continue to perform auxotonic muscle contractions over several weeks. Human EHTs show responses to physiological and pharmacological stimulation indicating their suitability for drug screening and disease modeling7.
In this manuscript we present a robust and easy protocol for the generation of human EHT, and the automated contractility analysis of concentration dependent changes of the contraction pattern in the presence of hERG channel inhibitors.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>EHT analysis intrument</td>
			<td>EHT Technologies GmbH</td>
			<td>A0001</td>
			<td>Software is included</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EHT PDMS rack</td>
			<td>EHT Technologies GmbH</td>
			<td>C0001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EHT PTFE spacer</td>
			<td>EHT Technologies GmbH</td>
			<td>C0002</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EHT electrode</td>
			<td>EHT Technologies GmbH</td>
			<td>P0001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EHT pacing adapter/cable</td>
			<td>EHT Technologies GmbH</td>
			<td>P0002</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>24-well-plate</td>
			<td>Nunc</td>
			<td>144530</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>6 well-cell culture plate</td>
			<td>Nunc</td>
			<td>140675</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>15 ml falcon tube, graduated&#160;</td>
			<td>Sarstedt</td>
			<td>62,554,502</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cell scraper</td>
			<td>Sarstedt</td>
			<td>831,830</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Spinner flask</td>
			<td>Integra</td>
			<td>182 101</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Stirrer Variomag/ Cimarec Biosystem Direct&#160;</td>
			<td>Thermo scientific</td>
			<td>70101</td>
			<td>Adjust rotor speed to 40 rpm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>T175 cell culture flask&#160;</td>
			<td>Sarstedt&#160;</td>
			<td>831,812,002</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>V-shaped sedimentation rack&#160;</td>
			<td>Custom made at UKE Hamburg</td>
			<td>na</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>10&#215; DMEM</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>52100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1-Thioglycerol&#160;</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>M6145</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2-Phospho-L-ascorbic acid trisodium salt</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>49752</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Activin-A&#160;</td>
			<td>R&#38;D systems</td>
			<td>338-AC</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Agarose&#160;</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>15510-019</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Aprotinin</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>A1153</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Aqua ad injectabilia</td>
			<td>Baxter GmbH</td>
			<td>1428</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>B27 PLUS insulin&#160;</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>17504-044</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BMP-4</td>
			<td>R&#38;D systems</td>
			<td>314-BP</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Collagenase II&#160;</td>
			<td>Worthington</td>
			<td>LS004176</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DMEM</td>
			<td>Biochrom</td>
			<td>F0415</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DMSO&#160;</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>D4540</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DNase II, type V (from bovine spleen)</td>
			<td>Sigma&#160;</td>
			<td>D8764</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dorsomorphin&#160;</td>
			<td>abcam</td>
			<td>ab120843</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EDTA&#160;</td>
			<td>Roth</td>
			<td>8043.2</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fetal calf serum</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>10437028</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>FGF2</td>
			<td>Miltenyi Biotec</td>
			<td>130-104-921</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fibrinogen (bovine)</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>F8630</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Geltrex&#160;</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>A1413302</td>
			<td>For coating: 1:200 dilution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HBSS w/o Ca2+/Mg2+&#160;</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>14175-053</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HEPES&#160;</td>
			<td>Roth</td>
			<td>9105.4</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Horse serum</td>
			<td>Life technologies</td>
			<td>26050088</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Human serum albumin&#160;</td>
			<td>Biological Industries</td>
			<td>05-720-1B</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Insulin, human</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>I9278</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>L-Glutamin</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>25030-024</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Lipidmix&#160;</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>L5146</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Matrigel</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>354234</td>
			<td>For EHT reconsitutionmix.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>N-Benzyl-p-Toluenesulfonamide</td>
			<td>TCI</td>
			<td>B3082-25G</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PBS w/o MgCl2/CaCl2</td>
			<td>Biochrom</td>
			<td>14190</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Penicillin/Streptomycin</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>15140</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pluronic F-127&#160;</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>P2443</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Polyvinyl alcohol&#160;</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>P8136</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>RPMI 1640&#160;</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>21875</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium selenite</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>S5261</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TGF&#223;1</td>
			<td>Peprotech</td>
			<td>100-21</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Thrombin</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>T7513</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Transferrin&#160;</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>T8158</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Y-27632</td>
			<td>Biorbyt</td>
			<td>orb6014</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>hiPSC</td>
			<td>Custom made at UKE hamburg</td>
			<td>na</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>iCell cardiomyocytes kit</td>
			<td>Cellular Dynamics International</td>
			<td>CMC-100-010-001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pluricyte cardiomyocyte kit</td>
			<td>Pluriomics</td>
			<td>PCK-1.5</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cor.4U - HiPSC cardiomyocytes kit</td>
			<td>Axiogenesis AG</td>
			<td>Ax-C-HC02-FR3</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cellartis cardiomyocytes</td>
			<td>Takara Bio USA, Inc.</td>
			<td>Y10075</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

automated contraction analysis of human engineered heart tissue for cardiac drug safety screening

Cardiac tissue engineering describes techniques to constitute three dimensional force-generating engineered tissues. For the implementation of these procedures in basic research and preclinical drug development, it is important to develop protocols for automated generation and analysis under standardized conditions. Here, we present a technique to generate engineered heart tissue (EHT) from cardiomyocytes of different species (rat, mouse, human). The technique relies on the assembly of a fibrin-gel containing dissociated cardiomyocytes between elastic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) posts in a 24-well format. Three-dimensional, force-generating EHTs constitute within two weeks after casting. This procedure allows for the generation of several hundred EHTs per week and is technically limited only by the availability of cardiomyocytes (0.4-1.0 x 106/EHT). Evaluation of auxotonic muscle contractions is performed in a modified incubation chamber with a mechanical interlock for 24-well plates and a camera placed on top of this chamber. A software controls a camera moved on an XYZ axis system to each EHT. EHT contractions are detected by an automated figure recognition algorithm, and force is calculated based on shortening of the EHT and the elastic propensity and geometry of the PDMS posts. This procedure allows for automated analysis of high numbers of EHT under standardized and sterile conditions. The reliable detection of drug effects on cardiomyocyte contraction is crucial for cardiac drug development and safety pharmacology. We demonstrate, with the example of the hERG channel inhibitor E-4031, that the human EHT system replicates drug responses on contraction kinetics of the human heart, indicating it to be a promising tool for cardiac drug safety screening.

Cardiac Differentiation and Preparation of EHT
HiPSC were expanded on reduced growth factor basement membrane matrix, dissociated with EDTA and embryoid bodies (EBs) formed in spinner flasks overnight. After mesodermal induction for three days, cardiac differentiation was initiated with the Wnt inhibitor. After ~17 days of differentiation protocol, beating EBs were dissociated into single cells with collagenase type II (Fig...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Automated Contraction Analysis of Human Engineered Heart Tissue for Cardiac Drug Safety Screening at JoVE.com

Automated Contraction Analysis of Human Engineered Heart Tissue for Cardiac Drug Safety Screening

Here, we show the generation of human engineered heart tissue from induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes. We present a method to analyze contraction force and exemplary alteration of contraction pattern by the hERG channel inhibitor E-4031. This method shows high level of robustness and suitability for cardiac drug screening.

Cardiac tissue engineering describes techniques to constitute three dimensional force-generating engineered tissues. For the implementation of these ...

The overall goal of this technique is to generate three dimensional engineered heart tissue that can be used as an in vitro contraction analysis platform for drug screening and disease modeling. This method can help answer key questions in the cardiac field about disease modeling, safety pharmacology and the effects of gene variants, or drugs on contractile force. The main advantage of this technique is that contractile force can be measured in engineered heart tissues from different species under a sterile conditions, for extended periods of time.Scientists new to this method could struggle with lack of cellular quality. Or lack of a in the medium. It is important to optimize self preparation and avoid cycles of the Demonstrating this procedure will be Anika Benzin and Umber Saleem.Before beginning the procedure, add 1.6 milliliters of warm two percent agarose into the first aid wells of a 24 well plate. And immediately place polytetrafluoroethylene in spacers into the agarose. After about 10 minutes at room temperature, the agarose will become opaque, signifying its solidification.Remove the spacers and place PDMS racks into the castings so that pairs of rack posts reach into each agarose mold. When all of the racks have been placed, we suspend the cardiomyocytes in medium at a minimum concentration of 1.5 times 10 to the seven cells per milliliter and freshly prepared reconstitution mix with fibrinogen 10 to 15 times with the serological pipette until the fibrinogen clot is dissolved. Check the reconstitution mix in the pipette for homogeneity.Then for each engineered heart tissue, or EHT, mix 100 microliters of reconstitution mix with three microliters of thrombin in a 200 microliter tube. And immediately aliquot 100 microliters of this EHT thrombin mixture into the agarose slots. Use a new filter tip for each EHT.Once all of the slots have been filled with reconstitution mix, close the lid of the cell culture dish and incubate the preparations for two hours at 37 degrees Celsius and seven percent carbon dioxide. At the end of the incubation, place the plate in a sterile hood and cover each well with 200 to 500 microliters of medium. Shake the plate gently and return the EHT's to the incubator.After 10 minutes, carefully transfer the racks into a new 24 well plate containing 1.5 milliliters of EHT medium per well and place the plate in a cell culture incubator under the appropriate culture conditions. Feeding the EHT's every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, by transferring the PDMS racks to a second plate with fresh medium. Seven to 10 days after casting, the EHT's should demonstrate spontaneous contractions deflecting the posts of the PDMS racks.To analyze the EHT's contractions, on the day of the experiment, turn on the heating device in the EHT analysis instrument two hours before the measurement. Immediately before the analysis, turn on the gas and electronic supplies of the axis system. For a baseline recording, place the EHT plate into the EHT analysis instrument and start the contraction analysis software according to the manufacturers instructions.Using the software manual instructions to start a new run, click the protocol tab to enter the relevant study information. Open the set up tab and choose the wells for analysis. Due to time constraints, this is demonstrated only for two EHT's in this video.Then click the camera view tab and start the camera live mode with automatic figure detection mode. Adjust the camera position with the xyz coordinates for each selected well in the 24 well dish, taking care that each EHT is in the center of the window and in focus. Make sure that the blue crosses are in the top and bottom ends of the EHT's and moving to match the contractions of the EHT's.And press the position okay button to save the set up positions of each well. Now click the parameters tab to define the criteria by which the software identifies a contraction peak, marking the peaks with green squares. Save all entered settings by pressing the use parameters on all wells button.Then click the automatic tab and the start button to record the baseline EHT contractions and to calculate the spontaneous baseline contractility for each EHT. The live contraction analysis will be displayed in the real time tab. Make sure that the blue crosses are moving only vertically to match the contractions of the EHT's.To analyze the effects of a specific drug of interest on the contractions, first transfer a 24 well plate filled with protein free thyroid solution under a sterile hood and place carbon electrodes into the wells. Transfer the EHT's in their PDMS racks on top of the electrodes and return the EHT's to the incubator. After about a half an hour, place the EHT's into the the interlock of the EHT analysis instrument and record the spontaneous baseline contractility for 20 seconds per EHT.Next, connect the carbon electrodes to pacing cable and begin electrically stimulating the EHT's. Record the paced baseline for 10 seconds per EHT, taking care that all of the EHT's are properly paced. The pacing signal is now marked by blue vertical lines, included in the contraction graft prior to every peak.After the baseline recording, transfer the electrodes and the PDMS racks to a new 24 well plate containing the first drug concentration and immediately return the EHT's to the interlock of the EHT analysis instrument for a 20 minute incubation. Reconnect the pacing cables, adjust the figure recognition and record the EHT contractions in response to the first drug concentration. After all of the drug concentrations have been tested, save all of the resulting PDF recordings and check each recording for figure recognition and the correct positioning of the contraction peak squares and artifacts.For offline analysis, click select run for the respective run from the runs database and in the parameter tab, change the parameter for the contraction analysis. Then in the offline tab, choose offline analysis to reanalyze the videos. To adjust the figure recognition and to record a new video file.Adjust the figure recognition in the real time tab and select sample review. The EHT will now be analyzed according to the new positions. The analysis of each EHT is based on figure recognition at the top and the bottom ends of the tissue.The filmed EHT contractions are then analyzed automatically by the EHT analysis instrument software algorithm and the peaks are determined according to the relevant predefined criteria. The long term measurement of EHT contraction analysis demonstrates that there are no apparent time dependent changes in the contraction force, beating frequency, T1 contraction or T2 relaxation times for up to 20 hours. Indicating a high level of stability for the constructs.Indeed, the results for each signal EHT are reproduce able with a low variability. Exposure to a hERG channel blocker however, results in a significant prolongation of the T2 relaxation time, beginning at the concentration. And an irregular beating pattern at higher concentrations.Once mastered, 24 EHT's can be generated within 30 minutes if the preparation is performed properly. After it's development, this technique paved the way for researchers in the field of disease modeling to explore the effect of gene variants in vitro. The versatility of this model, allows it to be combined with human induced stem cells or the genome editing technology.Following this procedure, additional methods like histology or RNA and protein analysis can be used to answer additional questions about gene transcription and expression. After watching this video, you should have a good idea on how to cast and analyze EHT's. If you have any questions regarding this procedure, please don't hesitate and contact us directly.

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Cardiovascular Drugs: Antiarrhythmic and Heart Failure Drugs

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