Modulation of the cardiomyocyte contraction inside a hydrostatic pressure bioreactor: $\textit{in vitro}$ verification of the Frank-Starling law

TL;DR

This study investigates how hydrostatic pressure influences mouse cardiac syncytia in vitro, confirming the Frank-Starling law by analyzing contraction dynamics through image processing.

Contribution

It provides the first in vitro verification of the Frank-Starling law in cardiac syncytia under varying hydrostatic pressures using advanced image analysis.

Findings

Verified the Frank-Starling law in vitro

Analyzed contraction kinematics and dynamics

Classified geometrical-functional states

Abstract

We have studied beating mouse cardiac syncytia $\textit{in vitro}$ in order to assess the inotropic, ergotropic, and chronotropic effects of both increasing and decreasing hydrostatic pressures. In particular, we have performed an image processing analysis to evaluate the kinematics and the dynamics of those pressure-loaded beating syncytia starting from the video registration of their contraction movement. By this analysis, we have verified the Frank-Starling law of the heart in $\textit{in vitro}$ beating cardiac syncytia and we have obtained their geometrical-functional classification.