The device presented enables the combination of both electrical and mechanical stimulation either independently or simultaneously.
The mechanical stimulation is performed with a non-invasive and aseptic novel approach. A sterile, single use device is placed into a standard culture plate. The cells are seeded in a volume contained in the central area of the device, which goes through mechanical stimulation thanks to the embedded magnets and the external magnetic field.
Description of the technology
Cardiovascular diseases have a huge impact on population health. Heart failure is the end-stage of many cardiovascular diseases, but the leading cause is the presence of a large scare due to an acute myocardial infaction. Current treatments for repairing tissue rely on achieving in vitro cardiac differentiated cells that mimic the native cardiac electromechanical cell physiology. Electrical and mechanical stimulation of stem cell cultures may help to improve their cardiac differentiation and tissue structure formation. Current devices for electomechanical stimulation have major flaws on the use of standard laboratory sterilizing procedures.
Specifications
The invention relates to the use of a new device for mechanical and/or electrical stimulation to be used with 2D mololayer and 3D stem cells cultures for tissue engineering applications. The device is disposable and allows sterile electromechanical stimulation on standard culture plates without breaking the sterile barrier.
Main advantages of its use
- Mechanical and/or simultaneous electrical stimulation on standard culture plates.
- The benefits of the electromechanical stimulation can be non-destructively and on-line monitored using Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy.
- The device can be fully sterilized prior cell culture seeding or may be sold directly pre-sterilized for immediate use.
Additional information (attached documents)
Technology Offer_Electro-mechanical stimulation for tissue engineering applications