Scientists have created an artificial fish that can swim on its own using human heart cells, bringing researchers one step closer to developing a more complex artificial muscular pump.
According to Vice, Harvard University researchers developed a "biohybrid" fish by lining its tail fins with human heart muscles derived from stem cells. In doing so, they found that the cells contracted and caused the tail to pull in that direction, producing a stretch on the other side of the fin that in turn caused a contraction, pulling the tail in the opposite direction.
The results of the study published in the journal Science revealed that the back-and-forth of the muscle contractions powered the faux-fish to swim with "the same motion as a beating heart" for 108 days, which is the equivalent of 38 million beats, proving that scientists can build a long-lasting muscular pump with human stem-cell-derived cardiac muscles.
"Our muscular bilayer construct is the first to demonstrate that the mechanoelectrical signalling of [cardiomyocytes] could induce self-sustaining muscle excitations and contractions for extended periods," said Kit Parker, a professor of bioengineering and applied physics at Harvard, highlighting the longer duration of movement demonstrated by the fish.
The robotic fish experiment marks a step forward for heart research as it provided a platform to study cardiovascular physiology and heart diseases such as arrhythmia. Researchers hope to one day leverage the results of the study to advance pacemaker technology or even build an artificial heart for transplant, but only after further research is carried out.
Human biology is often a focus of scientific studies as experts search for better ways to develop solutions to improve lives. One study examined how brains react to watching movies, while another led to the development of a tool that achieves mind control using light. Researchers in the same field also found a way to restore some brain function in dead pigs.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
Thumbnail image credit: Michael Rosnach/Keel Yong Lee/Sung-Jin Park/Kevin Kit Parker.
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According to Vice, Harvard University researchers developed a "biohybrid" fish by lining its tail fins with human heart muscles derived from stem cells. In doing so, they found that the cells contracted and caused the tail to pull in that direction, producing a stretch on the other side of the fin that in turn caused a contraction, pulling the tail in the opposite direction.
The results of the study published in the journal Science revealed that the back-and-forth of the muscle contractions powered the faux-fish to swim with "the same motion as a beating heart" for 108 days, which is the equivalent of 38 million beats, proving that scientists can build a long-lasting muscular pump with human stem-cell-derived cardiac muscles.
"Our muscular bilayer construct is the first to demonstrate that the mechanoelectrical signalling of [cardiomyocytes] could induce self-sustaining muscle excitations and contractions for extended periods," said Kit Parker, a professor of bioengineering and applied physics at Harvard, highlighting the longer duration of movement demonstrated by the fish.
The robotic fish experiment marks a step forward for heart research as it provided a platform to study cardiovascular physiology and heart diseases such as arrhythmia. Researchers hope to one day leverage the results of the study to advance pacemaker technology or even build an artificial heart for transplant, but only after further research is carried out.
Human biology is often a focus of scientific studies as experts search for better ways to develop solutions to improve lives. One study examined how brains react to watching movies, while another led to the development of a tool that achieves mind control using light. Researchers in the same field also found a way to restore some brain function in dead pigs.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
Thumbnail image credit: Michael Rosnach/Keel Yong Lee/Sung-Jin Park/Kevin Kit Parker.
Continue reading...