Models of the human heart for biomedical research: Opportunities and challenges

Model systems that mimic human cardiac structure and function are essential for the development of novel diagnostics and effective treatments for cardiovascular diseases. While non-human vertebrate models, from zebrafish to pig, remain vital to cardiovascular research, the translatability of findings to human patients is often limited. Therefore, animal experiments should be supplemented with human model systems, including human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cells, 3D engineered constructs, and last but not least, native tissue preparations and isolated primary cardiomyocytes. However, while human myocardium remains the gold standard, human heart tissue - and particularly tissue from control hearts-remains scarce, and its use in research is generally restricted to settings where tissue has been excised from diseased or failing hearts. While it is in principle possible to use tissue from rejected non-failing donor hearts that cannot be transplanted, legal hurdles (e.g., in Germany) can restrict the use of non-transplanted donor organs in research. Given the challenges associated with accessing and using human tissue in biomedical research, an integrated strategy towards combining non-human vertebrate models, in silico models, and human tissue-derived models is recommended, enhancing the chances of successful research and development, and helping bridge the gap between preclinical and clinical research.

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Publication Details

Journal
Physiological Reports
Published
2026-04-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70845
Primary Topic
Congenital heart defects research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Models of the human heart for biomedical research: Opportunities and challenges

Callum M. Zgierski‐Johnston, Thomas Seidel, Thomas Eschenhagen, Cristina E. Molina et al.
Physiological Reports
Congenital heart defects research
article

Models of the human heart for biomedical research: Opportunities and challenges

Callum M. Zgierski‐Johnston, Thomas Seidel, Thomas Eschenhagen, Cristina E. Molina, Samuel Tobias Sossalla, Daniela Panáková, Christoph Maack, Peter Karl Kohl, Hendrik Milting, Bruno Karl Podesser, Angelika Schnieke, Ursula Klingmüller, Laura C. Zelarayán, Eva A. Rog‐Zielinska, Katrin Streckfuß‐Bömeke, Renate B. Schnabel, WH Zimmermann, Nicolle Kränkel, Rafael Kramann, Hannah E. Kappler, Axel Loewe, Katrin Schröder
article en

Abstract

Model systems that mimic human cardiac structure and function are essential for the development of novel diagnostics and effective treatments for cardiovascular diseases. While non-human vertebrate models, from zebrafish to pig, remain vital to cardiovascular research, the translatability of findings to human patients is often limited. Therefore, animal experiments should be supplemented with human model systems, including human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cells, 3D engineered constructs, and last but not least, native tissue preparations and isolated primary cardiomyocytes. However, while human myocardium remains the gold standard, human heart tissue - and particularly tissue from control hearts-remains scarce, and its use in research is generally restricted to settings where tissue has been excised from diseased or failing hearts. While it is in principle possible to use tissue from rejected non-failing donor hearts that cannot be transplanted, legal hurdles (e.g., in Germany) can restrict the use of non-transplanted donor organs in research. Given the challenges associated with accessing and using human tissue in biomedical research, an integrated strategy towards combining non-human vertebrate models, in silico models, and human tissue-derived models is recommended, enhancing the chances of successful research and development, and helping bridge the gap between preclinical and clinical research.

Physiological ReportsVol. 14(7)
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (DE), Goethe University Frankfurt (DE), Universität Hamburg (DE), University of Freiburg (DE), German Cancer Research Center (DE), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (DE), Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen (DE), Heidelberg University (DE), University of Würzburg (DE), Heart and Diabetes Center North Rhine-Westphalia (DE), German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DE), Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (DE), University of Oxford (GB), German Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology (DE), Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken (DE), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE), University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (DE), Universitätsklinikum Würzburg (DE), German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DE), Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain Cluster of Excellence 171 — DFG Research Center 103 (DE), Universitäts-Herzzentrum Freiburg-Bad Krozingen (DE), Kerckhoff Klinik (DE), Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin (DE), Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (DE), Franklin University (US), Technical University of Munich (DE), University of Göttingen (DE), Medical University of Vienna (AT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin (DE), RWTH Aachen University (DE), University of Lübeck (DE)
Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly and Company, Novartis, Deutsches Zentrum für Herz-Kreislaufforschung, Cytokinetics, Novo Nordisk, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kardiologie-Herz und Kreislaufforschung.
Openalex Percentile: Top 29%
Congenital heart defects research
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