Multifunctional 3D electrode platform for real-time in situ monitoring and stimulation of cardiac tissues

Cardiovascular diseases are a major cause of death around the world underlining the importance of efficient treatments including novel medication. In vitro models of cardiac tissues are highly desired for monitoring electrophysiological response to screen pharmaceutical compounds at an early stage. Here, we report a platinum based 3D pillar electrode platform with cell growth guiding channel, which allows integrated, continuous electrical stimulation and recording of the cardiac tissues. This platform was successfully used to culture beating cardiomyocytes over weeks. The Pt-PDMS pillar electrode showed an impedance of 2.5 ± 0.3 kΩ at 10 Hz that is stable for using in cell cultures at 37 °C. Electrically pacing the cells improved maturation of the cardiac tissues. Contraction activities of 3D cardiac tissues were monitored in real-time through the pillar electrodes to evaluate physiological parameters. Adding 100 nM Isoproterenol clearly increased the spontaneous beating rate and decreased the extracellular field potential duration of the microtissues observed with electrical recording through the pillar electrodes. Overall, this platform has a potential to be applied in drug screening for in situ monitoring the biophysical parameters of the heart tissue in real-time.