Optical Pacing of Human‐Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell‐Derived Cardiomyocytes Mediated by a Conjugated Polymer Interface. Issue 13 (8th May 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lodola, Francesco; Vurro, Vito; Crasto, Silvia; Di Pasquale, Elisa; Lanzani, Guglielmo
• Is Part Of: Advanced healthcare materials. Volume 8:Issue 13(2019)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2019-05-08
• Subjects: cardiac therapy -- geneless optostimulation -- organic semiconductors -- photostimulation -- photothermal effects; Biomedical materials -- Periodicals; 610.28
• DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201900198
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2192-2640

Abstract

Abstract: The use of light for triggering skeletal and cardiac muscles allows lower invasiveness higher selectivity and unprecedented possibility to target individual cells or even subcellular compartments in a temporally and spatially precise manner. Because cells are in general transparent, this requires the development of suitable interfaces that bestow light sensitivity to living matter. In the present work, successfully demonstrated is the use of conjugated polymer films as transducer to optically enhance the contraction rate of a human and patient‐specific cardiac in vitro cell model. By different experimental approaches, the coupling mechanism to the photothermal effect is assigned. This work extends the range of application of the polymer‐mediated cell photostimulation phenomenon to cardiac muscle cells, opening up possible applications in cardiac therapy and for implementation of in vitro studies. Abstract : It is shown that a conjugated polymer interface mediates the photoresponse of hiPSC‐derived cardiomyocytes by modulating the contraction rate. The light‐driven phenomenon is assigned to a thermal effect occurring through the cleft established between the polymer film and the cell membrane. This result can open up new applications for investigation and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.