- Bioreactor for modulation of cardiac microtissue phenotype by combined static stretch and electrical stimulation

Functional properties of cardiac microtissues. (A) Excitation threshold determined at the end of cultivation as a minimum voltage required to induce synchronous contraction. (B) Maximum capture rate determined at the end of cultivation as the maximum tissue beating frequency. (C) Force of contraction. Control-cardiac microtissues cultivated in the PDMS wells without electrical or mechanical stimulation. 1 Hz cardiac microtissues cultivated in the PDMS wells in the presence of electrical field stimulation at 1 Hz 5% cardiac mictotissues cultivated in the PDMS stretched at 5% static strain without electrical stimulation. 5% strain +1 Hz cardiac microtissues stretched at 5% static strain and concurrently subjected to electrical field stimulation at 1 Hz. * denotes statistical significant by two-way ANOVA between 5% and 5% +1 Hz groups at specific pacing frequencies. Data represented as average ± standard deviation, N = 3.