Publication date: 28th June 2024
Cardiomyocytes differentiated from pluripotent stem cells (PSC-CMs) hold a great potential for the study and the cure of cardiovascular disease; indeed they have been extensively used as platform for disease modeling and drugs testing, and represent a promising source of cells for regenerative therapies. However, the immature phenotype of these cells, which differ from adult cardiomyocytes for molecular, metabolic and morpho-functional properties, is a major hurdle for their full application. Recently, a new technology based on optical excitation of light-sensitive organic semiconductors (OS) has been shown to be able to modulate cell behavior of many cell types by targeting different cellular pathways, as proliferation, angiogenesis, neuronal firing and contractility. Here, we adopted a multidisciplinary approach based on morpho-functional, metabolic and transcriptional analyses to investigate the effect of OS-photoexcitation on PSC-CMs. Analyses were performed on PSC-CMs seeded on either glass (control) or a red-light sensitive OS polymer namely Poly[2,6-(4,4-bis-(2-ethylhexyl)-4H-cyclopenta [2,1-b;3,4-bʹ]dithiophene)-alt-4,7(2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)] (PCPDTBT), in form of a thin film. Our results revealed a significant modulation of markers of CM maturation in PSC-CMs exposed to PCPDTBT and photomodulation, showing an increased size, by means of membrane capacitance, a shift of their maximal diastolic potential (MDP) toward more negative values, and augmented Ca2+ transient amplitude. Moreover, by Scanning ElectroChemical Microscopy (SECM) we found a decrease in glucose uptake and lactate release upon PCPDTBT light stimulation, potentially indicating a switch toward a more adult-like metabolism in stimulated PSC-CMs. Recently obtained RNA sequencing data are in line with these results, and will provide us with hints on the underlying molecular mechanisms. In conclusion, although not definitive, our data are in support of a potential effect of polymer-mediated optical photoexcitation in boosting PSC-CMs toward a more mature phenotype. The demonstration of a relevant effect of OS-photomodulation on PSC-CM maturation and functionality will significantly promote their full applications toward personalized medicine.
nanoGe is a prestigious brand of successful science conferences that are developed along the year in different areas of the world since 2009. Our worldwide conferences cover cutting-edge materials topics like perovskite solar cells, photovoltaics, optoelectronics, solar fuel conversion, surface science, catalysis and two-dimensional materials, among many others.
Previously nanoGe Spring Meeting (NSM) and nanoGe Fall Meeting (NFM), MATSUS is a multiple symposia conference focused on a broad set of topics of advanced materials preparation, their fundamental properties, and their applications, in fields such as renewable energy, photovoltaics, lighting, semiconductor quantum dots, 2-D materials synthesis, charge carriers dynamics, microscopy and spectroscopy semiconductors fundamentals, etc.
International Conference on Hybrid and Organic Photovoltaics
International Conference on Hybrid and Organic Photovoltaics (HOPV) is celebrated yearly in May. The main topics are the development, function and modeling of materials and devices for hybrid and organic solar cells. The field is now dominated by perovskite solar cells but also other hybrid technologies, as organic solar cells, quantum dot solar cells, and dye-sensitized solar cells and their integration into devices for photoelectrochemical solar fuel production.
Asia-Pacific International Conference on Perovskite, Organic Photovoltaics and Optoelectronics
The main topics of the Asia-Pacific International Conference on Perovskite, Organic Photovoltaics and Optoelectronics (IPEROP) are discussed every year in Asia-Pacific for gathering the recent advances in the fields of material preparation, modeling and fabrication of perovskite and hybrid and organic materials. Photovoltaic devices are analyzed from fundamental physics and materials properties to a broad set of applications. The conference also covers the developments of perovskite optoelectronics, including light-emitting diodes, lasers, optical devices, nanophotonics, nonlinear optical properties, colloidal nanostructures, photophysics and light-matter coupling.
The International Conference on Perovskite Thin Film Photovoltaics Perovskite Photonics and Optoelectronics (NIPHO) is the best place to hear the latest developments in perovskite solar cells as well as on recent advances in the fields of perovskite light-emitting diodes, lasers, optical devices, nanophotonics, nonlinear optical properties, colloidal nanostructures, photophysics and light-matter coupling.