Source: University of Pennsylvania
Date: January 7, 2009
Summary:
Cellular engineers at the University of Pennsylvania have determined that cardiomyocytes, the specialized cells that form the heart muscle, thrive when cultured in an environment that mimics their own elastic nature but falter, weaken or die when “grown” on stiffer or softer materials. The study’s methods and analyses demonstrate that individual heart cells, similar in character to those derived from embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, are affected by physical forces at the cellular level and require the proper myocardial environment to grow and potentially repair damaged heart muscle, a key goal of stem cell and cardiovascular research. It also highlights the need for stem cell science to focus on physical parameters such as fibrosis as well as the mechanics of microenvironments to optimize cell therapy and new muscle growth.
