Impulse initiation in engrafted pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes can stimulate the recipient heart

Weinberger and colleagues show that hiPSC-cardiomyocytes expressing the optogenetic actuator BiPOLES engrafted in the injured heart after transplantation. Pulsed photostimulation resulted in ectopic pacemaking that propagated to the host myocardium, caused non-sustained arrhythmia, and stimulated the recipient heart. Their results provide evidence for the hypothesis that cardiomyocyte automaticity can serve as a trigger for ventricular arrhythmias.

Impulse initiation in engrafted pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes can stimulate the recipient heart

Weinberger and colleagues show that hiPSC-cardiomyocytes expressing the optogenetic actuator BiPOLES engrafted in the injured heart after transplantation. Pulsed photostimulation resulted in ectopic pacemaking that propagated to the host myocardium, caused non-sustained arrhythmia, and stimulated the recipient heart. Their results provide evidence for the hypothesis that cardiomyocyte automaticity can serve as a trigger for ventricular arrhythmias.