左旋卡尼汀对大鼠缺血心肌细胞凋亡相关蛋白表达的影响

目的观察左旋卡尼汀对大鼠缺血心肌细胞凋亡相关蛋白Bcl-2和Caspase-3表达的影响。方法将SD大鼠随机分成3组:空白对照组、缺血组和左旋卡尼汀组。缺血组及左旋卡尼汀组给予异丙肾上腺素建立心肌缺血模型,左旋卡尼汀组提前经腹腔注射左旋卡尼汀。原位末端标记(TUNEL)法测定凋亡的心肌细胞,免疫组化法测定Bcl-2及Caspase-3蛋白的表达。结果左旋卡尼汀组与缺血组相比,心肌组织Bcl-2蛋白表达率显著升高,细胞凋亡率和Caspase-3蛋白表达率显著降低。结论左旋卡尼汀在异丙肾上腺素所致的心肌缺血大鼠模型中,对缺血缺氧心肌有保护作用,其机制可能是通过调节Bcl-2和Cas-pase-3介导的细胞凋亡而实现的。     

Nano-imprinted anisotropic structural color graphene films for cardiomyocytes dynamic displaying

Cellular mechanics plays an important role in physiological processes such as cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis and gene expression. Herein, we present a nano-imprinted structural color graphene film with anisotropic microgroove and two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystal structures for cardiomyocytes dynamic displaying. The anisotropic structural color graphene film was generated by a “sandwich” mold in one step with the assistance of two designed templates. Because of the microgroove structure and biocompatibility of the film, the cardiomyocytes could be induced into a highly ordered arrangement with recoverable autonomous beating. Meanwhile, the opposite surface of the film was imparted with defect-free 2D photonic crystal structures, giving it a vivid structural color and photonic band gap (PBG). We demonstrated that the flexible film would undergo synchronous volume or shape changes with the cardiomyocytes’ elongation and contraction during the beating process, showing cyclic changes of the structural color, which in turn could be converted into force. In addition, by integrating this anisotropic structural color graphene film with microfluidic channels, a novel and accurate heart-on-a-chip platform was established for real-time cell monitoring and drug screening. These characteristics of the present anisotropic structural color graphene films make them extremely valuable in the field of biomedicine.     

Development and Future Challenges of Bio-Syncretic Robots

Bio-syncretic robots consisting of both living biological materials and non-living systems possess desirable attributes such as high energy efficiency, intrinsic safety, high sensitivity, and self-repairing capabilities. Compared with living biological materials or non-living traditional robots based on electromechanical systems, the combined system of a bio-syncretic robot holds many advantages. Therefore, developing bio-syncretic robots has been a topic of great interest, and significant progress has been achieved in this area over the past decade. This review systematically summarizes the development of bio-syncretic robots. First, potential trends in the development of bio-syncretic robots are discussed. Next, the current performance of bio-syncretic robots, including simple movement and controllability of velocity and direction, is reviewed. The living biological materials and non-living materials that are used in bio-syncretic robots, and the corresponding fabrication methods, are then discussed. In addition, recently developed control methods for bio-syncretic robots, including physical and chemical control methods, are described. Finally, challenges in the development of bio-syncretic robots are discussed from multiple viewpoints, including sensing and intelligence, living and non-living materials, control approaches, and information technology.     

五甲基槲皮素预处理对大鼠心肌细胞缺氧复氧损伤保护作用的机制研究

目的: 探讨五甲基槲皮素(PMQ)预处理对大鼠心肌细胞缺氧/复氧(A/R)损伤的保护作用及其线粒体功能的影响。方法: 原代培养SD大鼠乳鼠心肌细胞,经终浓度分别为10、30、100 μmol/L PMQ预处理 24 h 后,制作A/R损伤,检测培养液中乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)活性、MTT法检测细胞存活率、流式细胞法检测线粒体膜电位和细胞凋亡情况、线粒体肿胀法检测各组心肌细胞线粒体通透性转换孔(mPTP)开放情况。结果: 不同剂量PMQ (10、30、100 μmol/L)预处理 24 h 后可剂量依赖性地降低LDH活性、增加细胞存活率、减少细胞凋亡(P<0.05 或P<0.01);30、100 μmol/L PMQ预处理 24 h 后,线粒体膜电位更为稳定、mPTP开放减少(P<0.05 或P<0.01)。结论: PMQ预处理 24 h 后,可产生药理性延迟保护作用,机制与其稳定线粒体膜电位、抑制mPTP开放,进而减少细胞凋亡有关。     

Fluid actuation for a bio-micropump powered by previously frozen cardiomyocytes directly seeded on a diagonally stretched thin membrane

Recently, various microfluidic devices have been developed. However, they are difficult to use in vivo because they require an external energy source such as electricity. Taking a different approach, we previously developed a bio-micropump powered by cardiomyocyte sheets that utilizes only glucose in the medium as chemical energy (Tanaka et al., Lab Chip 6(3), 362-368) [5]. To fabricate the pump, we require fresh primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. This operation is complicated and inconvenient because the experiments can only be carried out when rats are obtained. If commercially available frozen cardiomyocytes could be used, the experiments would become easier because frozen cells can be thawed and used any time. One technical problem with this new approach is that the force generated by thawed frozen cardiomyocytes is weak and it is difficult to fabricate a contiguous cell sheet using them. In the present study, we report that we have developed an actuator for fluid actuation for a bio-micropump using thawed frozen cardiomyocytes having a new structure, by using a thin membrane and a cubic block to collect the cardiomyocyte force and communicate it to fluid. We were able to demonstrate fluid motion in a microchannel connected to a diaphragm chamber induced by the synchronously pulsating cardiomyocytes. This new approach reduces the necessity of using animals for the experiments, because frozen cells may be used.     

Cardiac Tissue Engineering with the Aid of Polyhydroxybutyrate Membranes and Nanofibers

The PHB （polyhydroxybutyrate） films were reported recently as promising materials for tissue involving cultivation of dermoblasts, fibroblasts and connective tissue. In the present work, the authors studied PHB scaffolds for the cardiac tissue engineering, either in a form of thin membranes or electrospun fiber mats. The results show that cardiac cells of various origins can be successfully grown on PHB substrates, in the both forms： membrane and nanofiber matrix. Functioning of obtained tissue patches was tested by visual observation of contractions and with the aid of optical mapping, i.e., registration of excitation waves with fluorescent markers. The latter one allowed ensuring the fact that cultured cells represented electrophysiological syncytium, and the PHB scaffold showed its full compatibility with the excitability of cardiac cells.