Biomedical Mechanical Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N6N5, Canada.
Division of Cardiac Surgery, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1Y4W7, Canada.
Sci Rep. 2020 Jul 9;10(1):11274. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-67169-1.
3D printing was used to develop an open access device capable of simultaneous electrical and mechanical stimulation of human induced pluripotent stem cells in 6-well plates. The device was designed using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and 3D printed with autoclavable, FDA-approved materials. The compact design of the device and materials selection allows for its use inside cell incubators working at high humidity without the risk of overheating or corrosion. Mechanical stimulation of cells was carried out through the cyclic deflection of flexible, translucent silicone membranes by means of a vacuum-controlled, open-access device. A rhythmic stimulation cycle was programmed to create a more physiologically relevant in vitro model. This mechanical stimulation was coupled and synchronized with in situ electrical stimuli. We assessed the capabilities of our device to support cardiac myocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells, confirming that cells cultured under electromechanical stimulation presented a defined/mature cardiomyocyte phenotype. This 3D printed device provides a unique high-throughput in vitro system that combines both mechanical and electrical stimulation, and as such, we foresee it finding applications in the study of any electrically responsive tissue such as muscles and nerves.
3D 打印被用于开发一种开放式设备，能够在 6 孔板中同时对人类诱导多能干细胞进行电刺激和机械刺激。该设备使用计算机辅助设计 (CAD) 设计，并使用可高压灭菌、FDA 批准的材料进行 3D 打印。该设备的紧凑设计和材料选择使其能够在高湿度的细胞培养箱中使用，而不会有过热或腐蚀的风险。通过真空控制的开放式设备，使柔性、半透明的硅树脂膜周期性弯曲，从而实现对细胞的机械刺激。编程一个有节奏的刺激周期，以创建更符合生理的体外模型。这种机械刺激与原位电刺激相结合并同步进行。我们评估了我们的设备支持源自人类诱导多能干细胞的心肌细胞的能力，证实了在机电刺激下培养的细胞呈现出明确的/成熟的心肌细胞表型。这种 3D 打印设备提供了一种独特的高通量体外系统，结合了机械刺激和电刺激，因此，我们预计它将在研究任何对电有反应的组织（如肌肉和神经）方面得到应用。
