Abstract
Cardiac muscle with a certain threshold thickness, uniformity of tissue architecture, and functionality would expand the therapeutic options currently available to patients with congenital or acquired cardiac defects. Cardiac constructs cultured in well-mixed medium had an approximately 100-μm-thick peripheral tissue-like region around a relatively cell-free interior, a structure consistent with the presence of concentration gradients within the tissue. We hypothesized that direct perfusion of cultured constructs can reduce diffusional distances for mass transport, improve control of oxygen, pH, nutrients and metabolites in the cell microenvironment, and thereby increase the thickness and spatial uniformity of engineered cardiac muscle. To test this hypothesis, constructs (9.5-mm-diameter, 2-mm-thick discs) based on neonatal rat cardiac myocytes and fibrous polyglycolic acid scaffolds were cultured either directly perfused with medium or in control spinner flasks. Perfusion improved the spatial uniformity of cell distribution and enhanced the expression of cardiac-specific markers, presumably due to the improved control of local microenvironmental conditions within the forming tissue. Medium perfusion could thus be utilized to better mimic the transport conditions within native cardiac muscle and enable in vitro engineering of cardiac constructs with clinically useful thicknesses.
Keywords
perfusion, cardiac muscle, tissue, cardiac defect therapy
Subject Categories
Myocardium - Regeneration
Disciplines
Cardiology | Molecular, cellular, and tissue engineering
Publisher
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
Publication Date
2002
Rights Information
© 2002 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
Rights Holder
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
Permanent URL
Recommended Citation
Carrier, Rebecca L.; Rupnick, Maria; Langer, Robert; Schoen, Frederick J.; Freed, Lisa E.; and Vunjak-Novakovic, Gordana, "Perfusion improves tissue architecture of engineered cardiac muscle" (2002). Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications. Paper 14. http://hdl.handle.net/2047/d20002610
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Notes
Originally published in Tissue Engineering v.8 no.2 (2002), pp.175-188.
Dr. Carrier is affiliated with Northeastern University at the time of deposit.
This is a copy of an article published in Tissue Engineering © 2002 [copyright Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.]; Tissue Engineering is available online at: http://online.liebertpub.com.