Beneficial effects of mesenchymal stem cells on adult porcine cardiomyocytes in non-contact co-culture.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been reported to improve survival of cardiomyocytes (CMCs) and overall regeneration of cardiac tissue. Despite promising preclinical results, interactions of MSCs and CMCs, both direct and indirect, remain unclear. In this study, porcine bone marrow MSCs and freshly isolated porcine primary adult CMCs were used for non-contact co-culture experiments. Morphology, viability and functional parameters of CMCs were measured over time and compared between CMCs cultured alone and CMCs co-cultured with MSCs. In non-contact co-culture, MSCs improved survival of CMCs. CMCs co-cultured with MSCs maintained CMCs morphology and viability in significantly higher percentage than CMCs cultured alone. In viable CMCs, mitochondrial respiration was preserved in both CMCs cultured alone and in CMCs co-cultured with MSCs. Comparison of cellular contractility and calcium handling, measured in single CMCs, revealed no significant differences between viable CMCs from co-culture and CMCs cultured alone. In conclusion, non-contact co-culture of porcine MSCs and CMCs improved survival of CMCs with a sufficient preservation of functional and mitochondrial parameters.