Christian Hausner
Pronouns: he/him
Research Mentor(s): Todd Herron
Co-Presenter:
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Internal Medicine and Cardiology / Medicine
Presentation Date: April 20
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Session 6 – 4:40pm – 5:30 pm
Room: League Ballroom
Authors: Todd Herron, Christian Hausner
Presenter: 51
Abstract
Cardiomyocyte optical mapping using fluorescent dyes has long been an essential tool for physiological analysis. While the utility of this technique is evident, its deleterious effects on cell health limit experimental data collection periods and necessitate reapplication with each use. To enable repeated measurements on a single body of cardiomyocytes, genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs) became our subject of study. Specifically, by employing the adenovirus GCaMP6, repeated optical mappings on iCell cardiomyocytes could be performed at a steady state, without reapplication, and for a longer period than industry standard dyes. However, this result was not generalizable to all variants (fast, medium, and slow binding), and the relative cardiotoxicity of each differed in prolonged cellular exposure. While the fast variant maintained a healthy physiology (regular contraction rate) relative to standard dyes (flo4), the medium and slow-binding variants produced physiological responses akin to heart failure over time as a result of disrupted calcium homeostasis. Thus, these variants showed promise for scalable recreation of cardiac pathology. Yet, whether for healthy or diseased models of heart tissue, contractile measurement was more efficient, cost-effective, and repeatable with the use of adGCaMP6, allowing for the study of iPSC-CMs with greater frequency and ease. Ultimately, cardiovascular labs will be capable of contributing to more projects involving product risk-assessment in prolonged cellular exposure, leading to safer treatments with better understood effects on cardiac health.
Natural/Life Sciences
