L-R: U of T post-doctoral fellow Shira Landau, PhD alum Yimu Zhao and Professor Milica Radisic are three of the primary authors of a study that could lead to advancements in the creation of more stable and functional heart tissues (supplied images)
Researchers at the University of Toronto have discovered a novel method for incorporating primitive microphages - crucial immune cells - into heart-on-a-chip technology, in a potentially transformative step forward in drug testing and heart disease modeling.
In a study published in Cell Stem Cell, an interdisciplinary team of scientists describe how they integrated the microphages - which were derived from human stem cells and resemble those found in the early stages of heart development - onto the platforms. These macrophages are known to have remarkable abilities in promoting vascularization and enhancing tissue stability.
Corresponding author Milica Radisic, a senior scientist in the University Health Network's Toronto General Hospital Research Institute and professor in the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at U of T's Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, says the approach promises to enhance the functionality and stability of engineered heart tissues.
