DEVICE FOR EXAMINING MYOCARDIAL TOXICITY, CHIP FOR EXAMINING MYOCARDIAL TOXICITY AND METHOD FOR EXAMINING MYOCARDIAL TOXICITY

摘要

Provided are a device for examining myocardial toxicity and a method therefor whereby a myocardial toxicity examination that has been conducted in vivo hitherto can be equivalently conducted in vitro. By using a constitution wherein a single cell is enclosed within a specific spatial configuration, a controlled myocardial cell mass in an appropriate size is constructed and allowed to stably pulsate, thereby using the same as a pace maker.  A pulsating cell connecting channel consisting of tandemly-arranged myocardial cells and fibroblast cells interacting with the aforesaid cell mass is configurated. To examine the propagation state in the presence of a usual culture liquid, cellular potentials are measured using an electrode provided to a single cell in the myocardial cell mass and electrodes provided respectively to some of the tandemly-arranged myocardial cells and fibroblast cells.  The pulsation state of the tandemly-arranged myocardial cells is optically detected. Next, the same measurements and detections are carried out in the presence of a culture liquid containing a drug that acts on myocardial cells.  By comparing the individual measurement data and detection data, the toxicity of the drug on myocardial cells is evaluated.