Generation of a tissue pattern to emulate myocardial structural pathological behavior: In vitro model

The functionality of living tissues depends to a great extent of interactions between the cells and different structures of the tissue matrix, which responding to several contact signals in their microenvironment. Relationships with histochemical, bioelectric, protein, metabolic reactions among others, determine the cell-cell communication. Thus, the establishment of anatomopathological patterns in the myocardial structure acquires a particular interest for the understanding of the dysfunctional aspects that come to highlight the fundamental importance for tissue engineering in the cardiovascular area. The aim of this study was to generate a tissue pattern that emulates the irregular architecture of endomyocardial fibrosis evaluated in an in-vitro model of human ventricular cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts. For this research, was carried out the design of linear geometric patterns in the Solid Edge and Corel Draw software, which were later printed and laser cut using acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and acrylic as mold of the material. Then, the cell patterning technique was implemented using parafilm inserts that emulate the microstructure of irregular myocardial fibrosis. Finally, was evaluated the adhesion and generation of micro-domains of RL-14 cardiomyocytes and NIH 3T3 fibroblasts in the patterns. In this way, were obtained molds that simulate the microarchitecture of irregular endomyocardial fibrosis that allow to generate tissue patterns in-vitro, in which it is possible to have a control of the microenvironments between cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts for functional studies.