2024 | Myeongjin Song, Da Bin Choi, Jeong Suk Im, Ye Na Song, Ji Hyun Kim, Hanbyeol Lee, Jieun An, Ami Kim, Hwan Choi, Joon-Chul Kim, Choongseong Han, Young Keul Jeon, Sung Joon Kim, Dong-Hun Woo
This study focuses on generating multi-cellular heart organoids (HOs) using human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to model acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and cardiac fibrosis. The HOs consist of cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells, mimicking the cellular composition of the human heart. The multi-cellular composition of HOs was confirmed through various techniques, including immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, qPCR, and single-cell RNA sequencing. Subsequently, HOs were subjected to hypoxia-induced ischemia and ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injuries within controlled culture conditions. The resulting phenotypes resembled those of AMI, characterized by cardiac cell death, biomarker secretion, functional deficits, alterations in calcium ion handling, and changes in beating properties. Additionally, HOs subjected to IR efficiently exhibited cardiac fibrosis, displaying collagen deposition, disrupted calcium ion handling, and electrophysiological anomalies that emulate heart disease. These findings hold significant implications for the advancement of in vivo-like 3D heart and disease modeling, presenting a promising alternative to animal experimentation for studying cardiac diseases and drug screening.This study focuses on generating multi-cellular heart organoids (HOs) using human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to model acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and cardiac fibrosis. The HOs consist of cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells, mimicking the cellular composition of the human heart. The multi-cellular composition of HOs was confirmed through various techniques, including immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, qPCR, and single-cell RNA sequencing. Subsequently, HOs were subjected to hypoxia-induced ischemia and ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injuries within controlled culture conditions. The resulting phenotypes resembled those of AMI, characterized by cardiac cell death, biomarker secretion, functional deficits, alterations in calcium ion handling, and changes in beating properties. Additionally, HOs subjected to IR efficiently exhibited cardiac fibrosis, displaying collagen deposition, disrupted calcium ion handling, and electrophysiological anomalies that emulate heart disease. These findings hold significant implications for the advancement of in vivo-like 3D heart and disease modeling, presenting a promising alternative to animal experimentation for studying cardiac diseases and drug screening.