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Portable and affordable all-optical system for testing lab-on-a-chip human hearts

Researchers have developed a novel portable and low-cost macroscopic mapping system for all-optical cardiac electrophysiology using optogenetics and machine vision cameras. The system can stimulate and image engineered networks of human heart cells, providing insights into cardiac wave function and stability.

SourceSPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics·JournalJournal of Biomedical Optics·DateJan 11, 2023

Study shows shaker channel mutation differs structurally from human potassium channels

A recent study led by Dr. Luis Cuello and Alain J. Labro found that a known Shaker channel mutation differs structurally from its human counterparts, with implications for drug development and ion transport mechanisms. The research reveals a unique conformation of the W434F mutant that is distinct from wild-type channels.

SourceTexas Tech University Health Sciences Center·JournalScience Advances·TypeObservational study·DateOct 11, 2022

‘Love hormone’ revealed to have heart healing properties

Researchers discover that oxytocin stimulates stem cells to migrate and develop into cardiomyocytes in zebrafish and human cell cultures. This could lead to the regeneration of damaged hearts after a heart attack. The study found that oxytocin also activates EpiPCs, which can replenish lost cardiomyocytes.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 30, 2022

CNIC scientists uncover opposing roles of p38 proteins in cardiac hypertrophy

A study by CNIC scientists has identified a key role for the MKK3/6–p38γ/δ signaling pathway in cardiac hypertrophy. Inhibition of p38α promotes an unexpected activation of the other branch of the pathway, consisting of the proteins MKK3, p38γ, and p38δ. This activation induces another key pathway in cardiac hypertrophy, the mTOR pathway.

New heart model to help treat patients with heart failure

Researchers at RCSI University have created a new lab-based model to test devices for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. The model enables testing of the left atrium and ventricle, two independently controlled chambers that simulate blood flow during the resting phase.

SourceRCSI·JournalFrontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine·DateJul 26, 2022

Reverse engineering the heart: University of Toronto Engineering team creates bioartificial left ventricle

University of Toronto researchers develop a lab-grown model of the human left heart ventricle made with living heart cells. The bioartificial tissue construct beats strongly enough to pump fluid inside a bioreactor and offers new possibilities for studying heart diseases and testing potential therapies. Future work aims to increase the...

University of Houston biochemistry researchers repair and regenerate heart muscle cells

Researchers at the University of Houston have made a groundbreaking discovery in repairing and regenerating heart muscle cells in mice. The technology uses synthetic mRNA to deliver mutated transcription factors, which increases the replication of cardiomyocytes. This finding has the potential to become a powerful clinical strategy for...

SourceUniversity of Houston·JournalThe Journal of Cardiovascular Aging·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 16, 2022

Cardiac progenitor cells generate healthy tissue after a heart attack

A team of researchers has successfully treated damaged pig hearts with cardiac progenitor cells, demonstrating the formation of new cardiac tissue and improved cardiac function. The treatment could potentially be used to treat patients with serious heart failure, particularly older patients with coexisting conditions.

SourceTechnical University of Munich (TUM)·JournalNature Cell Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 12, 2022

Cleveland Clinic-led trial finds that experimental ‘gene silencing’ therapy reduces lipoprotein(a), an important risk factor of heart disease, by up to 98%

A Cleveland Clinic-led trial found that an experimental 'gene silencing' therapy significantly reduced blood levels of lipoprotein(a), a key driver of heart disease risk, by up to 96%-98%. The therapy targets the gene responsible for Lp(a) production and has shown strong efficacy with no major safety concerns reported.

SourceCleveland Clinic·JournalJournal of the American Medical Association·DateApr 3, 2022

Heart repair and regeneration after a heart attack — a review

Recent clinical trials showed promising results with cardiosphere-derived cells, improving heart parameters in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Researchers investigate using cell-derived products like exosomes to boost endogenous repair pathways, while aiming to reverse cardiomyocytes' proliferation limitations.

SourceUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham·JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology·TypeLiterature review·DateNov 29, 2021

New research lifts the lid on cardiac microvascular dysfunction and could help many patients with unexplained heart disease

A new study found that 44% of micro-arteries from patients had abnormal myogenic tone, associated with excessive caldesmon presence and poor cell alignment. This abnormality affects blood supply within the heart and other organs, impacting quality of life and life expectancy.

SourceUniversity of Bristol·JournalCardiovascular Research·TypeObservational study·DateAug 9, 2021

Self-organizing human heart organoids

Researchers have successfully grown sesame-seed-sized heart models using human pluripotent stem cells, which spontaneously self-organize into a hollow chamber without experimental scaffolds. The cardioids' wall-like tissue contracts rhythmically to squeeze liquid around the inside cavity, mimicking natural development.

SourceCell Press·JournalCell·DateMay 20, 2021

HKU-led study on language speed and efficiency

A recent study led by the University of Hong Kong found that all 17 languages analysed convey information at similar rates, with an average rate of 39 bits per second. This challenges traditional notions of language efficiency and suggests that all human beings share universal cognitive capacities in their language abilities.

SourceThe University of Hong Kong·JournalScience Advances·DateOct 10, 2019

Taking evolution to heart

A study analyzing humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas reveals the human heart adapts to endurance activities by becoming larger, longer, and more elastic. However, there is a trade-off between these adaptations, making it harder for individuals with one type of adaptation to cope with the other.

SourceUniversity of British Columbia Okanagan campus·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 16, 2019

3D printing the human heart

A team of researchers from Carnegie Mellon University has developed a new technique to 3D bioprint tissue scaffolds out of collagen, allowing them to overcome challenges associated with existing methods and achieve unprecedented resolution and fidelity. The technique, known as Freeform Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogels (FRESH...

Adult-like human heart muscle grown from patient-specific stem cells

Columbia University engineers develop a novel approach to growing mature human heart muscle from blood-derived stem cells, achieving critical hallmarks of adult human heart function in just four weeks. The technique involves applying physical conditioning and electromechanical stimulation to drive rapid maturation of the tissue.

Beating heart patch is large enough to repair the human heart

Biomedical engineers at Duke University have successfully grown a fully functional artificial human heart muscle large enough to patch over damaged tissue. The breakthrough enables therapies to replace lost muscle after a heart attack, which currently leaves patients with scar tissue that cannot transmit electrical signals or contract.

SourceDuke University·JournalNature Communications·DateNov 28, 2017

Testing a soft artificial heart

Researchers at ETH Zurich developed a soft artificial heart made from silicone that mimics the human heart's form and function. The device lasts only 3,000 beats but paves the way for future improvements in artificial hearts.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalArtificial Organs·DateJul 13, 2017

Termination of lethal arrhythmia with light

Researchers at the University of Bonn and Johns Hopkins University have developed a new method to stop life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia using light stimuli. The technique shows promise as an alternative to painful electric defibrillation, with potential for implantable optical defibrillators in the future.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateSep 12, 2016