Microfluidic Devices to Study Endogenous Cardiac Progenitor Cells and Cardiomyocytes

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Understanding the interactions between heart cells can provide insights into designing new therapeutic strategies for heart repair. Here, I used microfluidic technology to study heart cells. Microfluidic allows manipulation of fluids in the range of microliters in channels with dimensions of micrometers and helps to answer biological questions using small quantities of cells. Using microfluidic devices, I isolated and co-cultured heart beating cells (cardiomyocyte) and blood vessel lining cells (endothelial). Results of this study progress our understanding of heart biology and will ultimately benefit cell therapy and diagnostic applications.