Quantitatively analyzing the protective effect of mesenchymal stem cells on cardiomyocytes in single-cell biochips

Zhen Ma, Bruce Z. Gao

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

To understand how stem cells benefit native cardiomyocytes is crucial for cell-based therapies to rescue cardiomyocytes (CMCs) damaged during heart infarction and other cardiac diseases. However, the current conclusions on the protective effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were obtained by analyzing the overall amount of protein and factor secretion in a conventional co-culture system. These results neglected the heterogeneity of MSC population and failed to determine the importance of cellular contact to the protective effects. To address these issues, we have constructed two biochips by microfabrication methods and laser-guided cell micropatterning technique. Using the biochips, the protective effect of MSCs on CMCs can be quantitatively analyzed at single-cell level with defined cellular contact. The role of cellular contact on protective effect can be clarified according to our statistical results.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1385-1391
Number of pages7
JournalBiotechnology Letters
Volume34
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Laser guidance technique
  • Low nutrients microenvironment
  • Mesenchymal stem cells
  • Protective effect
  • Single-cell biochip

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Bioengineering
  • Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

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