Matrix Architecture and Mechanics Regulate Myofibril Organization, Costamere Assembly, and Contractility in Engineered Myocardial Microtissues.

ABSTRACT: The mechanical function of the myocardium is defined by cardiomyocyte contractility and the biomechanics of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Understanding this relationship remains an important unmet challenge due to limitations in existing approaches for engineering myocardial tissue. Here, they established arrays of cardiac microtissues with tunable mechanics and architecture by integrating ECM-mimetic synthetic, fiber matrices, and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs), enabling real-time contractility readouts, in-depth structural assessment, and tissue-specific computational modeling. They found that the stiffness and alignment of matrix fibers distinctly affect the structural development and contractile function of pure iPSC-CM tissues. Further examination in

SUBMITTER: DePalma SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11653763 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature