Israeli Researchers Pioneer Functional Microchip Heart Model

In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed a minuscule, functional model of the human heart on a microchip. This tiny heart, just three times the size of a rice grain, is cultivated from stem cells and replicates various aspects of a full-sized heart, including atria, ventricles, and pacemakers. It also has the capability to modulate its beat independently. Fitted with sensors, the model provides real-time data about crucial factors such as oxygen levels and heart contraction. According to the Hebrew University, this innovation stands as the most accurate representation of a mature human heart to date. The model has already led to the discovery of a unique physiological mechanism in the human heart, previously unidentified in lab animals like mice. This newfound understanding illustrates the connection between the heart’s electrical activity and cellular activity pace, a disruption of which can lead to arrhythmias. Further research also indicated that certain chemotherapy medications, like mitoxantrone, can influence heart rhythms via this mechanism.