Contact: Jamie Newton
james.newton@childrens.harvard.edu
617-355-6420
Children's Hospital Boston

Electrically Conducting Implants for the Heart

Caption: Collagen and myoblasts (precursor cells derived from skeletal muscle) were cast into molds made up of pieces of tubing and polyester mesh (seen at each end). Once it gels, the tissue is strong enough to hold a surgical suture. The myoblasts align longitudinally between the mesh, allowing surgeons to implant them in a particular orientation within the heart.

Credit: Courtesy Douglas Cowan, Ph.D., Children's Hospital Boston

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Related news release: Engineering electrically conducting tissue for the heart