Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Language

English

Publication Date

4-24-2026

Journal

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-026-71565-y

PMID

42031752

Abstract

Human heart development depends on tightly coordinated genetic programs and biomechanical cues, yet the underlying cell-microenvironment interactions remain poorly understood because the developing heart is difficult to study in utero and accurate experimental models are lacking. Recent advances in stem cell biology and three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting now allow the construction of human tissue analogues with defined structure and function. Here we show a perfusable 3D bioprinted model of the human embryonic heart tube composed of layered myocardium, cardiac jelly, and endocardium. Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells are cultured under controlled flow conditions, producing constructs with high cell viability, complete lumen endothelialization, progressive myocardial compaction, and coordinated tissue-level contraction. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis reveals that dynamic flow promotes cardiac maturation and lineage specification. This platform provides a human-relevant model to study early heart development, investigate congenital heart disease mechanisms, and evaluate emerging therapeutic strategies.

Published Open-Access

yes

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