MeTro Artificial Heart Tissue

May-03-13 A rubbery gel called MeTro has formed the basis for an artificial heart tissue able to help the heart regain its flexibility after a heart attack.

Developed by a team from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the MeTro gel is made from tropoelastin—the same protein that gives human tissue its elasticity. By making sheets of the gel, pressing them into a mold and applying ultraviolet light, the team was able to experiment with a variety of patterns to make the gel extremely elastic while also retaining its mechanical strength. The sheets were then seeded with heart muscle cells, which provided a structure for the cells to reproduce and communicate with each other.

The team plans to continue refining the material by creating 3D versions that contain vascular networks.

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[GIZMAG.COM]
[BRIGHAM AND WOMENS]

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