Direct 3D-Bioprinting of hiPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes to Generate Functional Cardiac Tissues.

3D-bioprinting is a promising technology to produce human tissues as drug screening tool or for organ repair. However, direct printing of living cells has proven difficult. Here, a method is presented to directly 3D-bioprint human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes embedded in a collagen-hyaluronic acid ink, generating centimeter-sized functional ring- and ventricle-shaped cardiac tissues in an accurate and reproducible manner.

Calcium supplementation of bioinks reduces shear stress-induced cell damage during bioprinting.

During bioprinting, cells are suspended in a viscous bioink and extruded under pressure through small diameter printing needles. The combination of high pressure and small needle diameter exposes cells to considerable shear stress, which can lead to cell damage and death. Approaches to monitor and control shear stress-induced cell damage are currently not well established.

CHIR99021 Promotes hiPSC-Derived Cardiomyocyte Proliferation in Engineered 3D Microtissues.

Cardiac tissue engineering is a promising strategy to generate human cardiac tissues for modeling cardiac diseases, screening for therapeutic drugs, and repairing the injured heart. Yet, several issues remain to be resolved including the generation of tissues with high cardiomyocyte density. Here, it is shown that the integration of the glycogen synthase kinase-3β inhibitor CHIR99021 in collagen I hydrogels promotes proliferation of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived (hiPSC) cardiomyocytes post-fabrication improving contractility of and calcium flow in engineered 3D cardiac microtissues.

Chalcone-Supported Cardiac Mesoderm Induction in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells for Heart Muscle Engineering.

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) hold great promise for applications in cell therapy and drug screening in the cardiovascular field. Bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) is key for early cardiac mesoderm induction in hPSC and subsequent cardiomyocyte derivation. Small-molecular BMP4 mimetics may help to standardize cardiomyocyte derivation from hPSCs.

AKAP6 orchestrates the nuclear envelope microtubule-organizing center by linking golgi and nucleus via AKAP9.

The switch from centrosomal microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs) to non-centrosomal MTOCs during differentiation is poorly understood. Here, we identify AKAP6 as key component of the nuclear envelope MTOC. In rat cardiomyocytes, AKAP6 anchors centrosomal proteins to the nuclear envelope through its spectrin repeats, acting as an adaptor between nesprin-1α and Pcnt or AKAP9.

Stem Cells and Their Cardiac Derivatives for Cardiac Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine.

Heart failure is among the leading causes of morbidity worldwide with a 5-year mortality rate of ∼50%. Therefore, major efforts are invested to reduce heart damage upon injury or maintain and at best restore heart function. In clinical trials, acellular constructs succeeded in improving cardiac function by stabilizing the infarcted heart.

Transcription factor TAp73 and microRNA-449 complement each other to support multiciliogenesis.

Motile cilia serve vital functions in development, homeostasis, and regeneration. We recently demonstrated that TAp73 is an essential transcriptional regulator of respiratory multiciliogenesis. Here, we show that TAp73 is expressed in multiciliated cells (MCCs) of diverse tissues.

Prenatal intrauterine maxillary development - An evaluation with three-dimensional ultrasound.

Objectives: The aim of this prospective study was to investigate normal fetal maxillary development with volume ultrasound during the prenatal phase, for a better estimation of maxillary growth processes.

Methods: Some 210 3D volumes were obtained in two measurement series from 38 healthy women (gestational age: 19 to 31 weeks) using a GE Voluson™ E10 ultrasound system. Maxillary length and width were determined in the axial and sagittal planes.

Promoting vascularization for tissue engineering constructs: current strategies focusing on HIF-regulating scaffolds.

Introduction: Vascularization remains one of the greatest yet unmet challenges in tissue engineering. When engineered tissues are scaled up to therapeutically relevant dimensions, their demand of oxygen and nutrients can no longer be met by diffusion. Thus, there is a need for perfusable vascular structures.

Three-dimensional multi-slice view: new prospects for evaluation of congenital anomalies in the fetus.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe the use and potential of Multi-Slice View 3-dimensional (3D) ultrasonographic software (Medison Co, Ltd, Seoul, Korea) in showing fetal congenital anomalies.

Methods: Fetuses with congenital anomalies diagnosed by means of 2-dimensional ultrasonography were prospectively included in the study. Good-quality 3D volumes of the region of interest were obtained in each case.

Three-dimensional ultrasonographic reslicing of the fetal brain to assist prenatal diagnosis of central nervous system anomalies.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of 3-dimensional ultrasonographic planar and nonplanar reslicing techniques.

Methods: Fetuses with severe brain anomalies diagnosed by means of 2-dimensional ultrasonography were prospectively included in the study. Good-quality 3-dimensional volumes of the fetal head were obtained in each case.

Application of the three-dimensional maximum mode in prenatal diagnosis of Apert syndrome.

Apert syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by coronal craniosynostosis, syndactyly, brachycephaly, midfacial hypoplasia, and central nervous system anomalies, among other malformations. We present a case of Apert syndrome examined at 22 + 0 weeks' gestation. Three-dimensional maximum mode was decisive for the correct prenatal diagnosis by demonstrating the cranial deformities.