Conductive Polymer Substrates as Cardiac Tissue Culture Scaffolds

Myocardial infarction (MI) damages heart muscle, increasing its insulating properties and making the heart susceptible to arrhythmias and other diseases and the infarcted area that replaces the damaged tissue becomes electrically inactive, preventing the heart from maintaining a regular beat. In this research, we developed poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) microfiber mesh with high ionic conductivity to facilitate electrical signal propagation in cardiomyocytes. The PEDOT:PSS mesh enhanced the expression of cardiac marker proteins such as Connexin 43 (Cx43), α-actinin, and cardiac Troponin T (cTnT) during cardiomyocyte culture on top. This increased protein expression improved electrical coupling between cardiomyocytes, allowing for more efficient interactions and synchronized contractions. Furthermore, the high Young's modulus of the PEDOT mesh provided significant mechanical support to cardiomyocytes, which was crucial for achieving both mechanical and electrical activation of the cells. We suppose that this study introduces a novel approach to the treatment of myocardial infarction toward a foundation for future clinical applications.