Force and Calcium Transients Analysis in Human Engineered Heart Tissues Reveals Positive Force-Frequency Relation at Physiological Frequency

Summary

Force measurements in ex vivo and engineered heart tissues are well established. Analysis of calcium transients (CaT) is complementary to force, and the combined analysis is meaningful to the study of cardiomyocyte biology and disease. This article describes a model of human induced pluripotent stem cell cardiomyocyte-derived engineered heart tissues (hiPSC-CM EHTs) transduced with the calcium sensor GCaMP6f followed by sequential analysis of force and CaT. Average peak analysis demonstrated the temporal sequence of the CaT preceding the contraction twitch. The pharmacological relevance of the test system was demonstrated with inotropic indicator compounds. Force-frequency relationship was analyzed in the presence of ivabradine (300 nM), which reduced spontaneous frequency and unmasked a positive correlation of force and CaT at physiological human heart beating frequency with stimulation frequency between 0.75 and 2.5 Hz (force +96%; CaT +102%). This work demonstrates the usefulness of combined force/CaT analysis and demonstrates a positive force-frequency relationship in hiPSC-CM EHTs. Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Authors Saleem U, Mannhardt I, Braren I, Denning C, Eschenhagen T, Hansen A
Journal Stem cell reports
Publication Date 2020 Feb 11;14(2):312-324
PubMed 31956082
PubMed Central PMC7013237
DOI 10.1016/j.stemcr.2019.12.011

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