The new organoid model includes all important developing heart structures. It enables scientists to conduct basic research to understand the development of the heart and congenital heart defects, and to create new screening platforms for the development of drugs, e.g. against atrial arrhythmias, as well as toxicological studies.

Cross-section of a multi-chamber cardioid, with atrial organoid (cyan), left ventricular organoid (white) and right ventricular organoid (magenta).
The cross-section illustrates the cavities inside the multi-chamber cardioids. ©Tobias Illmer/IMBA

To grow the heart organoid, the researchers used induced pluripotent stem cells, which can be obtained from human blood or skin samples.
They allowed all previously individually developed heart cultures to develop together and thus created a complete organoid with left and right ventricles, the atria and all other necessary structures to be able to speak of a human heart at an early stage - called a cardioid.

Original publication:
Clara Schmidt, Alison Deyett, Tobias Ilmer, Simon Haendeler, Aranxa Torres Caballero, Maria Novatchkova, Micheael A. Netzer, Lavinia Ceci Ginistrelli, Estela Mancheno Juncosa, Tanishta Bhattacharya, Amra Mujadzic, Lokesh Pimpale, Stefan M. Jahnel, Martina Cirigliano, Daniel Reumann, Katherina Tavernini, Nora Papai, Steffen Hering, Pablo Hofbauer and Sasha Mendjan. Multi-chamber cardioids unravel human heart development and cardiac defects. Cell. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2023.10.030

Source and further information:
https://www.oeaw.ac.at/imba-de/ueber-imba/newsroom/news/erste-herzorganoide-mit-mehreren-kammern-enthuellen-entwicklung-und-erkrankung-des-herzens
https://www.oeaw.ac.at/imba-de/ueber-imba/newsroom/news/pulsierende-herzen-in-der-petrischale
https://heartbeat.bio/personnel/sasha-mendjan/