Transient pacing in pigs with complete heart block via myocardial injection of mRNA coding for the T-box transcription factor 18.

The adenovirus-mediated somatic transfer of the embryonic T-box transcription factor 18 (TBX18) gene can convert chamber cardiomyocytes into induced pacemaker cells. However, the translation of therapeutic TBX18-induced cardiac pacing faces safety challenges. Here we show that the myocardial expression of synthetic TBX18 mRNA in animals generates de novo pacing and limits innate and inflammatory immune responses.

skeletal muscle models for type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus, a metabolic disorder characterized by abnormally elevated blood sugar, poses a growing social, economic, and medical burden worldwide. The skeletal muscle is the largest metabolic organ responsible for glucose homeostasis in the body, and its inability to properly uptake sugar often precedes type 2 diabetes. Although exercise is known to have preventative and therapeutic effects on type 2 diabetes, the underlying mechanism of these beneficial effects is largely unknown.

Hydrogel-Based Bioinks for Cell Electrowriting of Well-Organized Living Structures with Micrometer-Scale Resolution.

Bioprinting has become an important tool for fabricating regenerative implants and cell culture platforms. However, until today, extrusion-based bioprinting processes are limited to resolutions of hundreds of micrometers, which hamper the reproduction of intrinsic functions and morphologies of living tissues. This study describes novel hydrogel-based bioinks for cell electrowriting (CEW) of well-organized cell-laden fiber structures with diameters ranging from 5 to 40 μm.