Name: preparation of mesh-shaped engineered cardiac tissues derived from human ips cells for in vivo myocardial repair
Uploaded: 2020-06-09T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Preparation of Mesh-Shaped Engineered Cardiac Tissues Derived from Human iPS Cells for In Vivo Myocardial Repair at JoVE.com

This work was financially supported by the Kosair Charities Pediatric Heart Research Program at the University of Louisville and the Organoid Project at the RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research. HiPSCs used in our published protocols were provided by the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.

1. Maintenance of hiPSCs and cardiovascular differentiation
<ol>
	<li>Expand and maintain hiPSCs on thin-coat basement membrane matrix (growth factor reduced, 1:60 dilution) in conditioned medium extracted from mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF-CM) with human basic fibroblast growth factor (hbFGF)4. 
	NOTE: We used a hiPSCs (4-factor (Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc) line: 201B6). Add hbFGF at the appropriate concentration for each cell line. Laminin-511 fragment can also be used for the coatin...

<ol>
	<li>Sanganalmath, S. K., Bolli, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cell+therapy+for+heart+failure:+A+comprehensive+overview+of+experimental+and+clinical+studies,+current+challenges,+and+future+directions.">Cell therapy for heart failure: A comprehensive overview of experimental and clinical studies, current challenges, and future directions.</a> Circulation Research. 113, 810-834 (2013).</li><li>Fisher, S. A., Doree, C., Mathur, A., Martin-Rendon, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Meta-Analysis+of+Cell+Therapy+Trials+for+Patients+With+Heart+Failure.">Meta-Analysis of Cell Therapy Trials for Patients With Heart Failure.</a> Circulation Research. 116, 1361-1377 (2015).</li><li>Menasch&#233;, P., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Human+embryonic+stem+cell-derived+cardiac+progenitors+for+severe+heart+failure+treatment:+first+clinical+case+report:+Figure+1.">Human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiac progenitors for severe heart failure treatment: first clinical case report: Figure 1.</a> European Heart Journal. 36, 2011-2017 (2015).</li><li>Masumoto, H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Human+iPS+cell-engineered+cardiac+tissue+sheets+with+cardiomyocytes+and+vascular+cells+for+cardiac+regeneration.">Human iPS cell-engineered cardiac tissue sheets with cardiomyocytes and vascular cells for cardiac regeneration.</a> Scientific Reports. 4, 6716 (2014).</li><li>Masumoto, H., et al. <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> Scientific Reports. 6, 29933 (2016).</li><li>Zimmermann, W. H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Engineered+heart+tissue+grafts+improve+systolic+and+diastolic+function+in+infarcted+rat+hearts.">Engineered heart tissue grafts improve systolic and diastolic function in infarcted rat hearts.</a> Nature Medicine. 12, 452-458 (2006).</li><li>Fujimoto, K. L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Engineered+fetal+cardiac+graft+preserves+its+cardiomyocyte+proliferation+within+postinfarcted+myocardium+and+sustains+cardiac+function.">Engineered fetal cardiac graft preserves its cardiomyocyte proliferation within postinfarcted myocardium and sustains cardiac function.</a> Tissue engineering. Part A. 17, 585-596 (2011).</li><li>Lancaster, J. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Surgical+treatment+for+heart+failure:+cell-based+therapy+with+engineered+tissue.">Surgical treatment for heart failure: cell-based therapy with engineered tissue.</a> Vessel Plus. 2019, (2019).</li><li>Bian, W., Liau, B., Badie, N., Bursac, N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mesoscopic+hydrogel+molding+to+control+the+3D+geometry+of+bioartificial+muscle+tissues.">Mesoscopic hydrogel molding to control the 3D geometry of bioartificial muscle tissues.</a> Nature protocols. 4, 1522-1534 (2009).</li><li>Zhang, D., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tissue-engineered+cardiac+patch+for+advanced+functional+maturation+of+human+ESC-derived+cardiomyocytes.">Tissue-engineered cardiac patch for advanced functional maturation of human ESC-derived cardiomyocytes.</a> Biomaterials. 34, 5813-5820 (2013).</li><li>Christoforou, N., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Induced+pluripotent+stem+cell-derived+cardiac+progenitors+differentiate+to+cardiomyocytes+and+form+biosynthetic+tissues.">Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiac progenitors differentiate to cardiomyocytes and form biosynthetic tissues.</a> PloS one. 8, 65963 (2013).</li><li>Nakane, T., et al. <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+Cell+Composition+and+Geometry+on+Human+Induced+Pluripotent+Stem+Cells-Derived+Engineered+Cardiac+Tissue.">Impact of Cell Composition and Geometry on Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells-Derived Engineered Cardiac Tissue.</a> Scientific Reports. 7, 45641 (2017).</li><li>Kowalski, W. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Quantification+of+Cardiomyocyte+Alignment+from+Three-Dimensional+(3D)+Confocal+Microscopy+of+Engineered+Tissue.">Quantification of Cardiomyocyte Alignment from Three-Dimensional (3D) Confocal Microscopy of Engineered Tissue.</a> Microscopy and Microanalysis. 1, (2017).</li></ol>

Following the completion of our investigation of a linear format, hiPSC derived ECT5, we adapted the protocol to mix hiPSC-derived CMs, ECs, and MCs to facilitate the in vitro expansion of vascular cells within ECTs and subsequent in vivo vascular coupling between ECTs and recipient myocardium.
To facilitate the generation of larger, implantable mesh ECT geometries we used thin PDMS sheets to design the 3D molds with loading posts arrayed at staggered positions. During ...

Numerous preclinical studies and clinical trials have confirmed the efficiency of cell-based cardiac regenerative therapies for failing hearts1,2,3. Among various cell types, human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are promising cell sources by virtue of their proliferative ability, potential to generate various cardiovascular lineages4,5, and allogenicity. In addition, tissue engineering technologies have made it possible to transfer millions of cells onto a damaged heart5,6,7,8.
Previously, we reported the generation of three-dimensional (3D) linear engineered cardiac tissues (ECTs) from hiPSC-derived cardiovascular lineages using a commercially available culture system for 3D bioartificial tissues5,7. We found that the coexistence of vascular endothelial cells and mural cells with cardiomyocytes within the ECT facilitated structural and electrophysiological tissue maturation. Furthermore, we validated the therapeutic potential of implanted hiPSC-ECTs in an immune tolerant rat myocardial infarction model to improve cardiac function, regenerate myocardium, and enhance angiogenesis5. However, the linear ECTs constructed by this method were 1 mm by 10 mm cylinders and therefore not suitable for the implantation in preclinical studies with larger animals or clinical use.
Based on the successful use of tissue molds to generate porous engineered tissue formation using rat skeletal myoblasts and cardiomyocytes9, human ESC-derived cardiomyocytes10 and mouse iPSCs11, we developed a protocol to generate scalable hiPSC-derived larger implantable tissue using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) molds. We evaluated a range of mold geometries to determine the most effective mold characteristics. Mesh-shaped ECTs with multiple bundles and junctions exhibited excellent characteristics in cell viability, tissue function and scalability compared to plain-sheet or linear formats that lacked pores or junctions. We implanted the mesh-shaped ECT in a rat myocardial infarction model and confirmed its therapeutic effects similar to implanted cylindrical ECTs12. Here we describe the protocol to generate a hiPSC-derived mesh-shaped ECT.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Materials</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cell Culture Dishes 100x20 mm style</td>
			<td>Falcon/ Thomas scientific</td>
			<td>9380C51</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Multiwell Plates For Cell Culture 6well 50/CS</td>
			<td>Falcon / Thomas scientific</td>
			<td>6902A01</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sylgard 184 Silicone Elastomer Kit</td>
			<td>Dow Corning</td>
			<td>761036</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Reagents</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Accumax</td>
			<td>Innovative Cell Technologies</td>
			<td>AM-105</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BMP4, recombinant (10&#181;g)</td>
			<td>R&#38;D</td>
			<td>RSD-314-BP-010</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Collagen, Type I solution from rat tail</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>C3867</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Growth factor-reduced Matrigel</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>356231</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Human VEGF (165) IS, premium grade</td>
			<td>Miltenyi</td>
			<td>130-109-385</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pluronic F-127, 0.2 &#181;m filtered (10% Solution in Water)</td>
			<td>Molecular Probes</td>
			<td>P-6866</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Recombinant human bFGF</td>
			<td>WAKO</td>
			<td>060-04543</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Recombinant Human/Mouse/Rat ActivinA (50&#181;g)</td>
			<td>R&#38;D</td>
			<td>338-AC-050</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>rh Wnt-3a (10&#181;g)</td>
			<td>R&#38;D</td>
			<td>5036-WN</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Versene solution</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>15040066</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Culture medium and supplements</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>10x MEM</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>11430</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2 Mercaptro Ethanol</td>
			<td>SIGMA</td>
			<td>M6250</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>B27 supplement minus insulin</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>A1895601</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DMEM, high glucose</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>11965084</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fetal Bovine Serum (500ml)</td>
			<td>Any</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fetal Bovine Serum (500ml)</td>
			<td>Any</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>L-Glutamine</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>25030081</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NaHCO3</td>
			<td>Any</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PBS 1x</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>10010-031</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Penicillin-Streptomycin (5000 U/mL)</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>15070-063</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>RPMI1640 medium</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>21870092</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>&#945;MEM</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>11900024</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Flowcytometry</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>anti-TRA-1-60, FITC, Clone: TRA-1-60, BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>BD / Fisher</td>
			<td>560380</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>anti-Troponin T, Cardiac Isoform Ab-1, Clone: 13-11, Thermo Scientific Lab Vision</td>
			<td>Fisher</td>
			<td>MS-295-P0</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BD FACS Clean Solution</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>340345</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BD FACSFlow Sheath Fluid</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>342003</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BD FACSRinse Solution</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>340346</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EDTA</td>
			<td>Any</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Falcon Tube with Cell Strainer Cap (Case of 500)</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>352235</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fetal Bovine Serum (500ml)</td>
			<td>Any</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>LIVE/DEAD Fixable Aqua Dead Cell Stain Kit, for 405 nm excitation</td>
			<td>Molecular Probes</td>
			<td>L34957</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PDGFRb; anti-CD140b, R-PE, Clone: 28D4, BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>BD / Fisher</td>
			<td>558821</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Saponin</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>47306-50G-F</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>VEcad-FITC; anti-CD144, FITC, Clone: 55-7H1, BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>BD / Fisher</td>
			<td>560411</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Zenon Alexa Fluor 488 Mouse IgG1 Labeling Kit</td>
			<td>Molecular Probes</td>
			<td>Z25002</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

preparation of mesh-shaped engineered cardiac tissues derived from human ips cells for in vivo myocardial repair

The current protocol describes methods to generate scalable, mesh-shaped engineered cardiac tissues (ECTs) composed of cardiovascular cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), which are developed towards the goal of clinical use. HiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, and vascular mural cells are mixed with gel matrix and then poured into a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) tissue mold with rectangular internal staggered posts. By culture day 14 ECTs mature into a 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm mesh structure with 0.5 mm diameter myofiber bundles. Cardiomyocytes align to the long-axis of each bundle and spontaneously beat synchronously. This approach can be scaled up to a larger (3.0 cm x 3.0 cm) mesh ECT while preserving construct maturation and function. Thus, mesh-shaped ECTs generated from hiPSC-derived cardiac cells may be feasible for cardiac regeneration paradigms.

Figure 1A,B shows the schematics of CM+EC and MC protocol. After inducing CMs and ECs from CM+EC protocol and MCs from MC protocol, the cells are mixed adjusting final MC concentrations to represent 10 to 20% of total cells. The 2 cm&#160;wide tissue mold is fabricated according to the design drawing from 0.5 mm thick PDMS sheet (Figure 2A,B). Six million of CM+EC+MC cells are combined with collagen I, and matrix and poured onto...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Preparation of Mesh-Shaped Engineered Cardiac Tissues Derived from Human iPS Cells for In Vivo Myocardial Repair at JoVE.com

Preparation of Mesh-Shaped Engineered Cardiac Tissues Derived from Human iPS Cells for In Vivo Myocardial Repair

The present protocol generates mesh-shaped engineered cardiac tissues containing cardiovascular cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells to allow the investigation of cell implantation therapy for heart diseases.

The current protocol describes methods to generate scalable, mesh-shaped engineered cardiac tissues (ECTs) composed of cardiovascular cells derived from ...

This protocol describes a noble and easy method for creating mesh-shaped engineered cardiac tissues derived from human induced body parts and STEM cell derived cardiac cells. The flexibility of the tissue geometry and the scalability of the preserved tissue function are the main advantages of this technique. The implanted mesh shape ECTs can restore a cardiac structure and function in a rat myocardial infarction model.Confirming its feasibility for use in cardiac regenerative therapy. These techniques require reproducible human STEM cell processing and the tissue culture skills for consistent results. Begin by cutting a cured PDMS sheet to the appropriate size to allow the sheet to be bonded with silicone adhesive to fabricate a 21 by 20.5 millimeter rectangular tray with seven millimeter long 0.5 millimeter wide and 2.5 millimeter high rectangular posts at staggered positions.The horizontal spacing between two lines of posts should be 2.5 millimeters. Autoclave the tray at 120 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes before coating the mold with 1%Poloxamer 407 in PBS for one hour. Then thoroughly rinse the mold with PBS and place the mold into one well of a six-well plate.For lineage analysis, combine the cells from the cardiomyocyte plus endothelial and vascular mural cell protocols. So that the final concentration of mural cells is 10 to 20%in a total cell number of six times 10 to the six cells per construct. Mix 133 microliters of Acid Soluble Rat Tail collagen type one solution and 17 microliters of Alkali Buffer to 17 microliters of 10X Minimum Essential Medium on ice.Then add 67 microliters of Basement Membrane Matrix to the collagen solution. Next, centrifuge the cells and resuspend the pellet in 167 microliters of High Glucose Dulbecco's Minimal Essential Medium supplemented with fetal bovine serum and antibiotics. Mix the cells on the matrix solution on ice.Then carefully pour 400 microliters of the cell matrix suspension onto the poloxamer 407 coated PDMS tissue mold. Incubate the cell matrix mixture in a standard cell culture incubator at 37 degrees Celsius and 5%carbon dioxide for 60 minutes. When the tissue has formed, carefully soak the mold with four milliliters of ECT culture medium and return the plate to the cell culture incubator for 14 days.Before ECT implantation, you sterilized fine forceps to carefully remove the ECT from the loading posts. Tissue molds can be fabricated with various patterns, post lengths and post spacing to generate different final ECT geometries. For this analysis, a mold with seven millimeter long posts with 2.5 millimeter wide intervals was used.Poloxamer 407 prevents adhesion of the cells to the mold and enables the formation of a characteristic mesh structure, following rapid gel compaction in 14 days. The structure is maintained even after the ECT is released from the mold. The fabricated tissue construct is approximately 1.5 centimeters wide and 0.5 millimeters thick.And the width of each bundle in the mesh is approximately 0.5 millimeters in average. It is possible to generate a 3 centimeter final width mesh ECT containing 24 million cells from a four times larger mold with the same staggered post design. This larger mesh ECT can also be easily removed from the mold and generates a local act of force equivalent to the smaller mesh ECT.It is important to pour the cell matrix mixture evenly into the tissue mold without generating bubbles to prevent feeling defects in the final gel. Functional characterization of the contractor. and fourth frequency relations can be performed using in-built systems.Our ultimate goal is the translation of ECT paradigms into clinical therapies that utilize large animal preclinical studies.

preparation-mesh-shaped-engineered-cardiac-tissues-derived-from-human

Research

JoVE Journal

Bioengineering

Construction of Defined Human Engineered Cardiac Tissues to Study Mechanisms of Cardiac Cell Therapy

Human cardiac tissue engineering can fundamentally impact therapeutic discovery through the development of new species-specific screening systems that replicate the biofidelity of three-dimensional native human myocardium, while also enabling a controlled level of biological complexity, and allowing non-destructive longitudinal monitoring of tissue contractile function. Initially, human engineered cardiac tissues (hECT) were created using the entire cell population obtained from directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells, which typically yielded less than 50% cardiomyocytes. However, to create reliable predictive models of human myocardium, and to elucidate mechanisms of heterocellular interaction, it is essential to accurately control the biological composition in engineered tissues. 
To address this limitation, we utilize live cell sorting for the cardiac surface marker SIRP&#945; and the fibroblast marker CD90 to create tissues containing a 3:1 ratio of these cell types, respectively, that are then mixed together and added to a collagen-based matrix solution. Resulting hECTs are, thus, completely defined in both their cellular and extracellular matrix composition.
Here we describe the construction of defined hECTs as a model system to understand mechanisms of cell-cell interactions in cell therapies, using an example of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) that are currently being used in human clinical trials. The defined tissue composition is imperative to understand how the hMSCs may be interacting with the endogenous cardiac cell types to enhance tissue function. A bioreactor system is also described that simultaneously cultures six hECTs in parallel, permitting more efficient use of the cells after sorting.

This manuscript describes the creation of defined engineered cardiac tissues using surface marker expression and cell sorting. The defined tissues can then be used in a multi-tissue bioreactor to investigate mechanisms of cardiac cell therapy in order to provide a functional, yet controlled, model system of the human heart.

Human cardiac tissue engineering can fundamentally impact therapeutic discovery through the development of new species-specific screening systems that ...

In Vivo Quantitative Assessment of Myocardial Structure, Function, Perfusion and Viability Using Cardiac Micro-computed Tomography

The use of Micro-Computed Tomography (MicroCT) for in vivo studies of small animals as models of human disease has risen tremendously due to the fact that MicroCT provides quantitative high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) anatomical data non-destructively and longitudinally. Most importantly, with the development of a novel preclinical iodinated contrast agent called eXIA160, functional and metabolic assessment of the heart became possible. However, prior to the advent of commercial MicroCT scanners equipped with X-ray flat-panel detector technology and easy-to-use cardio-respiratory gating, preclinical studies of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in small animals required a MicroCT technologist with advanced skills, and thus were impractical for widespread implementation. The goal of this work is to provide a practical guide to the use of the high-speed Quantum FX MicroCT system for comprehensive determination of myocardial global and regional function along with assessment of myocardial perfusion, metabolism and viability in healthy mice and in a cardiac ischemia mouse model induced by permanent occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD).

In Vivo Quantitative Assessment of Myocardial Structure, Function, Perfusion and Viability Using Cardiac Micro-computed Tomography

This method outlines the use of Quantum Micro-Computed Tomography (MicroCT) to assess cardiac morphology, function, perfusion, metabolism and viability with iodinated contrast agent in mice with experimentally-induced myocardial ischemia. The technique can be applied for non-destructive high-throughput longitudinal in vivo imaging of various animal models of human heart disease.

The use of Micro-Computed Tomography (MicroCT) for in vivo studies of small animals as models of human disease has risen tremendously due to the fact that ...

Applications of In Vivo Functional Testing of the Rat Tibialis Anterior for Evaluating Tissue Engineered Skeletal Muscle Repair

Despite the regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle, permanent functional and/or cosmetic deficits (e.g., volumetric muscle loss (VML) resulting from traumatic injury, disease and various congenital, genetic and acquired conditions are quite common. Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine technologies have enormous potential to provide a therapeutic solution. However, utilization of biologically relevant animal models in combination with longitudinal assessments of pertinent functional measures are critical to the development of improved regenerative therapeutics for treatment of VML-like injuries. In that regard, a commercial muscle lever system can be used to measure length, tension, force and velocity parameters in skeletal muscle. We used this system, in conjunction with a high power, bi-phase stimulator, to measure in vivo force production in response to activation of the anterior crural compartment of the rat hindlimb. We have previously used this equipment to assess the functional impact of VML injury on the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle, as well as the extent of functional recovery following treatment of the injured TA muscle with our tissue engineered muscle repair (TEMR) technology. For such studies, the left foot of an anaesthetized rat is securely anchored to a footplate linked to a servomotor, and the common peroneal nerve is stimulated by two percutaneous needle electrodes to elicit muscle contraction and dorsiflexion of the foot. The peroneal nerve stimulation-induced muscle contraction is measured over a range of stimulation frequencies (1-200 Hz), to ensure an eventual plateau in force production that allows for an accurate determination of peak tetanic force. In addition to evaluation of the extent of VML injury as well as the degree of functional recovery following treatment, this methodology can be easily applied to study diverse aspects of muscle physiology and pathophysiology. Such an approach should assist with the more rational development of improved therapeutics for muscle repair and regeneration.

Applications of In Vivo Functional Testing of the Rat Tibialis Anterior for Evaluating Tissue Engineered Skeletal Muscle Repair

We describe an in vivo protocol to measure dorsiflexion of the foot following stimulation of the peroneal nerve and contraction of the anterior crural compartment of the rat hindlimb. Such measurements are an indispensable translational tool for evaluating skeletal muscle pathology and tissue engineering approaches to muscle repair and regeneration.

Despite the regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle, permanent functional and/or cosmetic deficits (e.g., volumetric muscle loss (VML) resulting from ...

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.

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 ...

Protocol for MicroRNA Transfer into Adult Bone Marrow-derived Hematopoietic Stem Cells to Enable Cell Engineering Combined with Magnetic Targeting

While CD133+ hematopoietic stem cells (SCs) have been proven to provide high potential in the field of regenerative medicine, their low retention rates after injection into injured tissues as well as the observed massive cell death rates lead to very restricted therapeutic effects. To overcome these limitations, we sought to establish a non-viral based protocol for suitable cell engineering prior to their administration. The modification of human CD133+ expressing SCs using microRNA (miR) loaded magnetic polyplexes was addressed with respect to uptake efficiency and safety as well as the targeting potential of the cells. Relying on our protocol, we can achieve high miR uptake rates of 80&#8211;90% while the CD133+ stem cell properties remain unaffected. Moreover, these modified cells offer the option of magnetic targeting. We describe here a safe and highly efficient procedure for the modification of CD133+ SCs. We expect this approach to provide a standard technology for optimization of therapeutic stem cell effects and for monitoring of the administered cell product via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

This protocol illustrates a safe and efficient procedure to modify CD133+ hematopoietic stem cells. The presented non-viral, magnetic polyplex-based approach may provide a basis for the optimization of therapeutic stem cell effects as well as for monitoring the administered cell product via magnetic resonance imaging.

While CD133+ hematopoietic stem cells (SCs) have been proven to provide high potential in the field of regenerative medicine, their low retention rates ...

Fabrication of 3D Cardiac Microtissue Arrays using Human iPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes, Cardiac Fibroblasts, and Endothelial Cells

Generation of human cardiomyocytes (CMs), cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), and endothelial cells (ECs) from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has provided a unique opportunity to study the complex interplay among different cardiovascular cell types that drives tissue development and disease. In the area of cardiac tissue models, several sophisticated three-dimensional (3D) approaches use induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) to mimic physiological relevance and native tissue environment with a combination of extracellular matrices and crosslinkers. However, these systems are complex to fabricate without microfabrication expertise and require several weeks to self-assemble. Most importantly, many of these systems lack vascular cells and cardiac fibroblasts that make up over 60% of the nonmyocytes in the human heart. Here we describe the derivation of all three cardiac cell types from iPSCs to fabricate cardiac microtissues. This facile replica molding technique allows cardiac microtissue culture in standard multi-well cell culture plates for several weeks. The platform allows user-defined control over microtissue sizes based on initial seeding density and requires less than 3 days for self-assembly to achieve observable cardiac microtissue contractions. Furthermore, the cardiac microtissues can be easily digested while maintaining high cell viability for single-cell interrogation with the use of flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). We envision that this in vitro model of cardiac microtissues will help accelerate validation studies in drug discovery and disease modeling.

Here, we describe an easy-to-use methodology to generate 3D self-assembled cardiac microtissue arrays composed of pre-differentiated human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes, cardiac fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. This user-friendly and low cell requiring technique to generate cardiac microtissues can be implemented for disease modeling and early stages of drug development.

Generation of human cardiomyocytes (CMs), cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), and endothelial cells (ECs) from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has provided ...

Single-Cell Optical Action Potential Measurement in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes

Conventional intracellular microelectrode techniques to quantify cardiomyocyte electrophysiology are extremely complex, labor intensive, and typically carried out in low throughput. Rapid and ongoing expansion of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology presents a new standard in cardiovascular research and alternate methods are now necessary to increase throughput of electrophysiological data at a single cell level. VF2.1Cl is a recently derived voltage sensitive dye which provides a rapid single channel, high magnitude response to fluctuations in membrane potential. It possesses kinetics superior to those of other existing voltage indicators and makes available functional data equivalent to that of traditional microelectrode techniques. Here, we demonstrate simplified, non-invasive action potential characterization in externally paced human iPSC derived cardiomyocytes using a modular and highly affordable photometry system.

Here we describe optical acquisition and characterization of action potentials from induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes using a high-speed modular photometry system.

Conventional intracellular microelectrode techniques to quantify cardiomyocyte electrophysiology are extremely complex, labor intensive, and typically ...

Cardiac Spheroids as in vitro Bioengineered Heart Tissues to Study Human Heart Pathophysiology

Despite several advances in cardiac tissue engineering, one of the major challenges to overcome remains the generation of a fully functional vascular network comprising several levels of complexity to provide oxygen and nutrients within bioengineered heart tissues. Our laboratory has developed a three-dimensional in vitro model of the human heart, known as the "cardiac spheroid" or "CS". This presents biochemical, physiological, and pharmacological features typical of the human heart and is generated by co-culturing its three major cell types, such as cardiac myocytes, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts. Human induced pluripotent stem cells-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs or iCMs) are co-cultured at ratios approximating the ones found in vivo with human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs) and human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) in hanging drop culture plates for three to four days. The confocal analysis of CSs stained with antibodies against cardiac Troponin T, CD31 and vimentin (markers for cardiac myocytes, endothelial cells and fibroblasts, respectively) shows that CSs present a complex endothelial cell network, resembling the native one found in the human heart. This is confirmed by the 3D rendering analysis of these confocal images. CSs also present extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins typical of the human heart, such as collagen type IV, laminin and fibronectin. Finally, CSs present a contractile activity measured as syncytial contractility closer to the one typical of the human heart compared to CSs that contain iCMs only. When treated with a cardiotoxic anti-cancer agent, such as doxorubicin (DOX, used to treat leukemia, lymphoma and breast cancer), the viability of DOX-treated CSs is significantly reduced at 10 &#181;M genetic and chemical inhibition of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, a downstream target of DOX in HCFs and HCAECs, reduced its toxicity in CSs. Given these unique features, CSs are currently used as in vitro models to study heart biochemistry, pathophysiology, and pharmacology.

This protocol aims to fabricate 3D cardiac spheroids (CSs) by co-culturing cells in hanging drops.&#160;Collagen-embedded CSs are treated with doxorubicin (DOX, a cardiotoxic agent) at physiological concentrations to model heart failure. In vitro testing using DOX-treated CSs may be used to identify novel therapies for heart failure patients.

Despite several advances in cardiac tissue engineering, one of the major challenges to overcome remains the generation of a fully functional vascular ...

Fibroblast Derived Human Engineered Connective Tissue for Screening Applications

Fibroblasts are phenotypically highly dynamic cells, which quickly transdifferentiate into myofibroblasts in response to biochemical and biomechanical stimuli. The current understanding of fibrotic processes, including cardiac fibrosis, remains poor, which hampers the development of new anti-fibrotic therapies. Controllable and reliable human model systems are crucial for a better understanding of fibrosis pathology. This is a highly reproducible and scalable protocol to generate engineered connective tissues (ECT) in a 48-well casting plate to facilitate studies of fibroblasts and the pathophysiology of fibrotic tissue in a 3-dimensional (3D) environment. ECT are generated around the poles with tunable stiffness, allowing for studies under a defined biomechanical load. Under the defined loading conditions, phenotypic adaptations controlled by cell-matrix interactions can be studied. Parallel testing is feasible in the 48-well format with the opportunity for the time-course analysis of multiple parameters, such as tissue compaction and contraction against the load. From these parameters, biomechanical properties such as tissue stiffness and elasticity can be studied.

Presented here is a protocol to generate engineered connective tissues for a parallel culture of 48 tissues in a multi-well plate with double poles, suitable for mechanistic studies, disease modeling, and screening applications. The protocol is compatible with fibroblasts from different organs and species and is exemplified here with human primary cardiac fibroblasts.

Fibroblasts are phenotypically highly dynamic cells, which quickly transdifferentiate into myofibroblasts in response to biochemical and biomechanical ...

Engineered Lung Tissues Prepared from Decellularized Lung Slices

There is a need for improved 3-dimensional (3D) lung models that recapitulate the architectural and cellular complexity of the native lung alveolus ex vivo. Recently developed organoid models have facilitated the expansion and study of lung epithelial progenitors in vitro, but these platforms typically rely on mouse tumor-derived matrix and/or serum, and incorporate just one or two cellular lineages. Here, we describe a protocol for generating engineered lung tissues (ELTs) based on the multi-lineage recellularization of decellularized precision-cut lung slices (PCLS). ELTs contain alveolar-like structures comprising alveolar epithelium, mesenchyme, and endothelium, within an extracellular matrix (ECM) substrate closely resembling that of native lung. To generate the tissues, rat lungs are inflated with agarose, sliced into 450 &#181;m-thick slices, cut into strips, and decellularized. The resulting acellular ECM scaffolds are then reseeded with primary endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and alveolar epithelial type 2 cells (AEC2s). AEC2s can be maintained in ELT culture for at least 7 days with a serum-free, chemically-defined growth medium. Throughout the tissue preparation and culture process, the slices are clipped into a cassette system that facilitates handling and standardized cell seeding of multiple ELTs in parallel. These ELTs represent an organotypic culture platform that should facilitate investigations of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions within the alveolus as well as biochemical signals regulating AEC2s and their niche.

This protocol describes a method to generate reproducible, small-scale engineered lung tissues, by repopulating decellularized precision-cut lung slices with alveolar epithelial type 2 cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells.

There is a need for improved 3-dimensional (3D) lung models that recapitulate the architectural and cellular complexity of the native lung alveolus ex ...