Stimulation of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes on thin-film microelectrodes.

We describe successful long-term stimulation of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte clusters on thin-film microelectrode structures in vitro. Interdigitated electrode structures were constructed using plain titanium on glass as the electrode material. Titanium rapidly oxidizes in atmospheric conditions to produce an insulating TiOχ layer with high relative permittivity. Capacitive coupling to the incubation medium and to the cells adherent to the electrodes was still efficient, and the dielectric layer prevented electrolysis, allowing a wider window of possible stimulation amplitudes to be used, relative to conducting surfaces. A common hypothesis suggests that to achieve proper differentiation of electroactive cells from the stem cells electrical stimuli are also needed. Spontaneously beating cardiomyocyte clusters were seeded on the glass-electrode surfaces, and we successfully altered and resynchronized a clearly different beat interval. The new pace was reliably maintained for extended periods of several tens of minutes.