High-Throughput Screening System for Engineered Cardiac Tissues

The field of tissue engineering, particularly in the development of engineered cardiac tissues (ECTs), relies on advanced imaging systems to evaluate tissue function and viability. High-throughput imaging within multi-well plate formats, such as 96-well plates, is crucial for scalable drug testing and contractility measurements. The ability to capture high-resolution, real-time data across numerous samples simultaneously accelerates research and development in cardiac biology and pharmacology. As ECTs become more complex and integral to personalized medicine and drug discovery, the demand for precise, rapid, and parallelized imaging solutions grows, enabling large-scale studies that provide comprehensive insights into tissue behavior and drug effects. However, existing optical imaging approaches present significant challenges that limit their effectiveness in high-throughput tissue engineering applications. Traditional systems often suffer from inadequate resolution and restricted field of view when scaling to accommodate multiple samples, thus compromising the accuracy and reliability of measurements. Additionally, imaging speed is frequently insufficient for real-time monitoring of dynamic tissue contractility, and maintaining physiological conditions during prolonged imaging sessions can affect tissue viability. Current fabrication processes for multi-sample imaging setups may lack consistency and precision, leading to variability in data collection. These limitations hinder the efficiency and scalability of tissue engineering research, highlighting the need for innovative imaging technologies that can address these obstacles and enhance high-throughput capabilities.

Technology Description

The imaging system features a light source that illuminates multiple spatially separated regions of a material structure, generating initial illumination. A primary lens captures images of these regions, which are then magnified by a 96-element achromatic doublet lens array to create a mosaic composed of detailed subimages. The system offers adjustable magnification between 3x and 6x through precise positioning of the lens array. Illumination is provided by a diffuse white LED panel, and a CMOS camera sensor records high-resolution images. Additionally, a stage-top incubator maintains optimal physiological conditions, enabling long-term monitoring of engineered cardiac tissues within a 96-well plate format.

This technology utilizes an innovative lens array design that optimizes resolution, field of view, and imaging speed, effectively overcoming traditional optical limitations. The parallel fabrication process using a two-piece aluminum mold allows for the simultaneous creation of 96 microtissue gauges, significantly enhancing throughput for large-scale studies. Precise contractile force measurements are achieved by accurately tracking micropillar deflections through sophisticated image processing and calibration methods. The technology has demonstrated superior lateral resolution, high signal-to-noise ratios, and reliable long-term monitoring capabilities. Furthermore, the system's versatility for potential integrations with fluorescence imaging and electrical stimulation makes it a valuable tool for diverse applications in tissue engineering and drug development, offering researchers unprecedented efficiency and accuracy.