Mechanically-induced intercellular remodeling of cardiomyocytes by magnetic micromanipulation

Gap junctions are responsible for providing and maintaining a pathway for intercellular communication. This is critical in the heart where gap junctions are responsible for maintaining electrical impulse propagation. Connexin43 (Cx43) is the most abundant gap junction in the heart, and studies have shown that spatial heterogeneity of Cx43 may promote electrical instability and anisotropic conduction pathways that may cause cardiac arrhythmias. Structural and electrical remodeling of gap junctions have been linked to increases in stresses in conditions such as hypertrophy. Understanding how local mechanical forces influence the remodeling of gap junctions can provide insight into arrhythmias and reentry circuits. In this work, I describe a system for exerting local mechanical forces on cardiomyocytes to study gap junction remodeling and I show that cell-to-cell movement and subsequent remodeling of Cx43 can occur. The system consisted of patterned linear strands on polyacrylamide gels and mechanical stimulation using magnetic micromanipulation. Cardiomyocytes were patterned on polyacrylamide gel using 25pm and 50pm microchannels. Mechanical stimulation was induced in sections with high densities of magnetic beads.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Motion, J. P. Michael (Joseph Patrick Michael Motion Champana)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Alan J. Grodzinsky.

• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/37202

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/37202