HeartWorks builds, tests, and delivers new therapies to cure congenital heart defects giving these families the opportunity to live full, enriching lives.
HeartWorks relies on our community to help fund the research and clinical trials that hope to find cures for congenital heart defects (CHD). Discover ways that you can help.
A quiet laboratory moment can hold an astonishing sight: a network of living, lab-grown heart cells beating in synchrony under a microscope. This isn’t science fiction! It’s the reality inside HeartWorks’ research labs, where scientists are developing bioengineered cardiac tissue designed with the potential to help those who are impacted by congenital heart disease (CHD).
The project we are highlighting this month zeroes in on one of the most vital features of that tissue: its ability to contract like a real heart. By capturing and analyzing these contractions with advanced imaging techniques, we’re not just running tests; we’re building confidence that each new batch of tissue could bring lifesaving therapies closer to patients living with CHD.
Why Measuring Heartbeats in the Lab Changes Lives
The heart’s ability to contract and pump blood is fundamental to life. When congenital heart defects interfere with this function, patients face complex challenges that can impact their entire lives. In our lab, we are developing bioengineered cardiac tissue designed to be delivered into the heart muscle in hopes of strengthening the heart muscle.
This project focuses on one of the most important properties of that tissue: its ability to contract. Heart muscle cells, called cardiomyocytes, naturally produce electrical signals, known as action potentials, that cause them to beat. By studying these action potentials, we can better understand how well our bioengineered tissue mimics the behavior of natural heart muscle and ensures its readiness for future therapeutic use.
Seeing the Beat: A Window Into Heart Cell Function
While our team already knew that our cardiac lineage cells could contract, we needed a functional, reproducible test to confirm how well they were working. Traditional methods were too slow and not practical for routine checks. This project emerged from that need – a quick, reliable way to measure contraction and synchronization of the cells, providing critical insight for every batch of cardiac lineage cells we create.
To capture the heart-like behavior of our tissue, we use a special voltage-sensitive dye called FluoVolt. When the cardiac lineage cells contract, there’s a sudden change in the voltage across their cell membranes. The FluoVolt dye responds to this change by altering its brightness under the microscope.
By recording these changes on camera, our scientists can see the heart cells beating in real time. The fluctuations in fluorescence mirror the electrical activity of the cells, allowing for detailed analysis of how the tissue contracts. This method gives us a fast, precise way to assess every batch of cells we produce – ensuring consistency, safety, and quality as we move closer to patient applications.
Synchrony Matters: Testing Cells for Heart-Like Behavior
The central goal of this work is to demonstrate that our bioengineered cardiac lineage cells beat synchronously and respond appropriately to external stimuli, such as electrical pacing or chemical signals. These responses mimic how heart cells behave in the body and are essential for the tissue’s success after the delivery of cardiac lineage cells into the heart muscle.
By achieving this level of analysis, we can validate that our tissue not only survives but thrives, coordinating its contractions just like a healthy heart. Each successful test represents another step toward therapies that may lead to a cure for the 1 in 100 born with CHD.
Challenges in Capturing a Heartbeat
Working with living cells brings its own unique set of challenges. Cardiomyocytes are highly sensitive to temperature changes and maintaining their health during the staining process requires careful planning. Once stained with the FluoVolt dye, the cells also become light-sensitive, meaning our team must work quickly to record the videos before the cells begin to behave abnormally or stop contracting altogether.
After extensive testing and refinement, we’ve established a consistent procedure that yields high-quality, dependable data. This approach allows us to move forward with confidence, knowing that every experiment provides clearer insight into the properties and performance of our bioengineered cardiac tissue.
From Skin Biopsy to Beating Tissue: Our Lab’s Most Inspiring Moment
For our scientists, one of the most powerful moments in this project is seeing the bioengineered heart tissue beat under the microscope. This is a visible reminder of the journey from a small skin biopsy to living, functioning heart cells. This work isn’t just a technical achievement; it’s a tangible representation of hope.
Every synchronized contraction we observe reflects years of innovation and dedication. Each data point moves us closer to fulfilling our mission: to find cures for congenital heart defects and change lives.
Looking Ahead: Turning Research Into Hope for CHD Families
This project is more than a laboratory procedure. It’s a bridge between scientific discovery and patient care. By refining our ability to measure and validate the beating potential of bioengineered heart tissue, we are laying the foundation for future treatments that could restore heart function and improve quality of life for children and adults affected by CHD.
At HeartWorks, we believe that every beat counts. Projects like this one not only push the boundaries of science but also embody the hope we share with patients, families, and caregivers around the world. We are moving closer to a future where congenital heart defects can be treated, not just managed, with therapies built from the patient’s own cells.
Join us for a virtual lab tour to learn more: https://heartworksinc.org/lab-tours
