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Tanaka, Yo, Fujita, Hideaki (2015), Fluid driving system for a micropump by differentiating iPS cells into cardiomyocytes on a tent-like structure, Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, Volume 210, 267-272

Published in 2015/04/01/

• doi: 10.1016/j.snb.2014.12.069

(Abstract) A number of recent studies have exploited the sizes and functional properties of microdevices and cellular mechanical components to construct bio-microactuators. We previously developed bio-micropumps powered by cardiomyocytes that utilizes glucose in the medium as chemical energy. To fabricate the pump, however, primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes are indispensable. The operation of harvesting primary cells is inconvenient and ethically not adequate due to the need for animals sacrifice. In contrast, induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are obtained from subcutaneous tissue. Their most significant properties are that they proliferate indefinitely and can be differentiated into many kinds of cells, including cardiomyocytes, and also have no ethical issue differently from ES cells. By exploiting these properties of iPS cells, the above issues will be addressed. Based on this concept, we constructed a system for driving fluids as a principal component of a micropump by differentiating iPS cells into spontaneously beating cardiomyocytes. Cellular contractile force was transmitted to fluid in a microchannel by a tent-like thin membrane. The microchip was irradiated with O2 plasma and coated with gelatin to attach the cells. Embryoid bodies (EBs) of mouse-derived iPS cells were seeded on the microchip and incubated at 37°C without Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) to differentiate them into cardiomyocytes. About 2 weeks later, EB beating and periodical oscillation of fluid in a microchannel connected to a diaphragm chamber was observed. The theoretical flow rate assuming the use of ideal check valves (Q) was 6.9nL/min. Our device presents a reasonable alternative to normal cardiomyocytes for preliminary investigations requiring bio-actuating pumps.