31 results about "Biological pacemaker" patented technology

The present invention provides biological pacemakers or AV-node bypasses The biological pacemakers or AV-node bypasses of the invention are useful for the treatment of, inter alia, cardiac arrhythmias and AV-node conduction defects.

The present invention provides methods and compositions relating to the labeling of target cells with nanometer scale fluorescent semiconductors referred to as quantum dots (QDs). Specifically, a delivery system is disclosed based on the use of negatively charged QDs for delivery of a tracking fluorescent signal into the cytosol of target cells via a passive endocytosis-mediated delivery process. In a specific embodiment of the invention the target cell is a stem cell, preferably a mesenchymal stem cell (MSC). Such labeled MSCs provide a means for tracking the distribution and fate of MSCs that have been genetically engineered to express, for example, a hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (“HCN”) channel and administered to a subject to create a biological pacemaker. The invention is based on the discovery that MSCs can be tracked in vitro for up to at least 6 weeks. Additionally, QDs delivered in vivo can be tracked for up to at least 8 weeks, thereby permitting for the first time, the complete 3-D reconstruction of the locations of all MSCs following administration into a host.

Disclosed are compositions, methods and systems for preventing or treating cardiac dysfunction, particularly cardiac pacing dysfunction by genetic modification of cells of targeted regions of the cardiac conduction system. In particular, a bio-pacemaker composition is delivered to cardiac cells to increase the intrinsic pacemaking rate of the cells, wherein the bio-pacemaker composition increases expression of a channel or subunit thereof that produces funny current and a T-type Ca2+ channel or subunit thereof, and expresses one or more molecules that suppresses the expression of the wild type potassium channel.

Heart pacing systems include at least one electronic or biological pacemaker as a primary pacemaker, and at least one electronic or biological pacemaker as a backup pacemaker. When implanted, the primary pacemaker(s) produce primary pacing stimuli that modulate cardiac function. The backup pacemaker(s) provide backup pacing stimuli when the electronic pacemaker is unable to modulate cardiac function at the predetermined pacing rate. The heart pacing systems are implemented by implantation in regions where they can provide pacing stimuli to cardiac tissue.

Disclosed are methods of preventing or treating cardiac arrhythmia. In one embodiment, the methods include administering to an amount of at least one polynucleotide that modulates an electrical property of the heart. The methods have a wide variety of important uses including treating cardiac arrhythmia. Also disclosed are methods and systems for modulating electrical behavior of cardiac cells. Preferred methods include administering a polynucleotide or cell-based composition that can modulate cardiac contraction to desired levels, e.g., the administered composition functions as a biological pacemaker.

A composition for implantation into cardiac tissue includes a biological pacemaker that, when implanted, expresses an effective amount of a mutated hyperpolarization-activated and cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) isoform to modify Ih when compared with wild-type HCN. Methods for implementing each of the biologocal pacemakers include implanting each of biologocal pacemakers into cardiac tissue.

Disclosed are methods and systems for modulating electrical behavior of cardiac cells. Preferred methods include administering a polynucleotide or cell-based composition that can modulate cardiac contraction to desired levels, i.e., the administered composition functions as a biological pacemaker.

The present invention includes a method for controlling pacemaker therapy in a patient with an implanted biological pacemaker. The method may include pacing a heart at a predetermined rate using an electronic pacemaker and configuring the pacemaker to periodically enter a biological pacemaker weaning mode. The weaning mode may include ceasing pacing for at least a predetermined length of time and monitoring the heart to detect electrical depolarizations of a ventricle of the heart during the predetermined length of time. The weaning mode may further include determining the length of time between the cessation of pacing and the detected electrical depolarization and determining if the length of time between the cessation of pacing and the detected electrical depolarization is less than a maximum predetermined interval. The pacemaker therapy may be withheld as long as the length of time is less than the maximum predetermined interval. Further, if the length of time exceeds a maximum interval, the pacemaker will exit the weaning mode.

A method for monitoring a biological cardiac pacemaker. The method may include stimulating a heart at a region selected for implantation of a biological pacemaker and sensing at least one electrical signal indicative of a cardiac depolarization originating in the region selected for implantation of the biological pacemaker. The method may further include sensing at least one subsequent electrical signal produced by the heart and determining if the subsequent electrical signal originated in the region selected for the biological pacemaker or another region of the heart.

Biological pacemakers engineered to intrinsically generate rhythmic excitations are disclosed. In addition, methods of producing the biological pacemakers are disclosed. Methods of treating or preventing arrhythmia and heart disease associated with a defective pacemakers are also disclosed.