Cellular seeding and co-culture of a three dimensional fibroblast construct

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for cellular seeding onto three-dimensional fibroblast constructs, three-dimensional fibroblast constructs seeded with muscle cells, and uses therefore.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for treating a disorder characterized by a lack of functioning cardiomyocytes, comprising contacting the heart of a subject suffering from such a disorder with an amount effective to treat the disorder of a construct comprising cardiomyocytes, cardiac stem cells, or progenitors thereof adhered to a three dimensional fibroblast construct (3DFC), wherein the construct is capable of spontaneous synchronized contractions across the 3DFC; and wherein the cardiomyocytes, cardiac stem cells, or progenitors thereof are seeded on the construct at a density of between 0.5×10 6  cells/cm 2  and 5×10 6  cells/cm 2  and/or the cardiomyocytes, cardiac stem cells, or progenitors thereof are present in a ratio of between about 1:10 and about 10:1 with fibroblasts on the 3DFC.