Journal
BIOMECHANICS AND MODELING IN MECHANOBIOLOGY
Volume 11, Issue 8, Pages 1219-1225Publisher
SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
DOI: 10.1007/s10237-012-0413-8
Keywords
Cardiomyocyte; Mechanosensitivity; Substrate stiffness; Myofibrillogenesis; Striation
Categories
Funding
- NHLBI NIH HHS [T32 HL007954] Funding Source: Medline
- NIBIB NIH HHS [R21 EB004489] Funding Source: Medline
Ask authors/readers for more resources
In this review, we discuss recent studies on the mechanosensitive morphology and function of cardiomyocytes derived from embryos and neonates. For early cardiomyocytes cultured on substrates of various stiffnesses, contractile function as measured by force production, work output and calcium handling is optimized when the culture substrate stiffness mimics that of the tissue from which the cells were obtained. This optimal contractile function corresponds to changes in sarcomeric protein conformation and organization that promote contractile ability. In light of current models for myofibillogenesis, a recent mathematical model of striation and alignment on elastic substrates helps to illuminate how substrate stiffness modulates early myofibril formation and organization. During embryonic heart formation and maturation, cardiac tissue mechanics change dynamically. Experiments and models highlighted here have important implications for understanding cardiomyocyte differentiation and function in development and perhaps in regeneration processes.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available