Regulation of calcium dynamics and propagation velocity by tissue microstructure in engineered strands of cardiac tissue.

Andrew P Petersen, Nathan Cho, Davi M Lyra-Leite, Jeffrey W Santoso, Divya Gupta, Nethika R Ariyasinghe, Megan L McCain

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Integrative biology : quantitative biosciences from nano to macro, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

6citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

3D bioprinting of microfluidic systems for cardiac regenerative medicine: from biofabrication to organ-on-a-chip.Journal of biological engineering · 2026
Review
Geometry and length control of 3D engineered heart tissues using direct laser writing.Lab on a chip · 2024
Article
Regulation of oxytocin-induced calcium transients and gene expression in engineered myometrial tissues by tissue architecture and matrix rigidity.Current research in physiology · 2023
Article
A myocardial infarct border-zone-on-a-chip demonstrates distinct regulation of cardiac tissue function by an oxygen gradient.Science advances · 2022
Article
Modeling Patient-Specific Muscular Dystrophy Phenotypes and Therapeutic Responses in Reprogrammed Myotubes Engineered on Micromolded Gelatin Hydrogels.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2022
Article
Contact photolithography-free integration of patterned and semi-transparent indium tin oxide stimulation electrodes into polydimethylsiloxane-based heart-on-a-chip devices for streamlining physiological recordings.Lab on a chip · 2021
Article

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Andrew P PetersenLaboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Nathan ChoLaboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Davi M Lyra-LeiteLaboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Jeffrey W SantosoLaboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Divya GuptaLaboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Nethika R AriyasingheLaboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Megan L McCainLaboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Funding

American Heart Association-American Stroke Association 16SDG29950005

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Disruptions to cardiac tissue microstructure are common in diseased or injured myocardium and are known substrates for arrhythmias. However, we have a relatively coarse understanding of the relationships between myocardial tissue microstructure, propagation velocity and calcium cycling, due largely to the limitations of conventional experimental tools. To address this, we used microcontact printing to engineer strands of cardiac tissue with eight different widths, quantified several structural and functional parameters and established correlation coefficients. As strand width increased, actin alignment, nuclei density, sarcomere index and cell aspect ratio decreased with unique trends. The propagation velocity of calcium waves decreased and the rise time of calcium transients increased with increasing strand width. The decay time constant of calcium transients decreased and then slightly increased with increasing strand width. Based on correlation coefficients, actin alignment was the strongest predictor of propagation velocity and calcium transient rise time. Sarcomere index and cell aspect ratio were also strongly correlated with propagation velocity. Actin alignment, sarcomere index and cell aspect ratio were all weak predictors of the calcium transient decay time constant. We also measured the expression of several genes relevant to propagation and calcium cycling and found higher expression of the genes that encode for connexin 43 (Cx43) and a subunit of L-type calcium channels in thin strands compared to isotropic tissues. Together, these results suggest that thinner strands have higher values of propagation velocity and calcium transient rise time due to a combination of favorable tissue microstructure and enhanced expression of genes for Cx43 and L-type calcium channels. These data are important for defining how microstructural features regulate intercellular and intracellular calcium handling, which is needed to understand mechanisms of propagation in physiological situations and arrhythmogenesis in pathological situations.

Indexed as

ActinsAniline CompoundsAnimalsAnimals, NewbornArrhythmias, CardiacCalciumCalcium Channels, L-TypeCell MembraneCell NucleusConnexin 43DimethylpolysiloxanesFibronectinsGene Expression ProfilingGene Expression RegulationHeart VentriclesHumansActinsAniline CompoundsbaysilonCacna1c protein, ratCalciumCalcium Channels, L-TypeConnexin 43DimethylpolysiloxanesFibronectinsFluo 4Gja1 protein, ratXanthenescardiac myocytescell shapecytoskeletonelectrophysiologygap junctionsmicrocontact printing

Identifiers

PMID32118279

DOI10.1093/intbio/zyaa003

PMCPMC11956900

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata

Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.