Researchers report a wearable patch that uses focused ultrasound plus sonogenetics to stimulate engineered heart cells; tested in cells, rats and pig tissue but human use would require gene modification, safety data and clinical trials.
A wearable “non‑invasive ultrasound pacemaker” (NUP) uses focused ultrasound and imaging to target heart tissue and can pace engineered cardiomyocytes without implanted hardware.
The device remains experimental: animal safety testing included daily activity monitoring for eight months in rats, but success in animals does not establish safety or effectiveness in people.
# What was developed
# How it works The approach relies on sonogenetics: heart muscle cells are genetically modified to express a mechanosensitive ion channel called MscL‑G22S. When focused ultrasound reaches those engineered cells, mechanical force opens the channels and allows calcium ions to enter the cells. Calcium influx triggers contraction, producing electrically coordinated beats. Imaging is used to track the moving heart and to guide submillimetre targeting of the ultrasound beam.
# What the researchers tested The team tested the system across multiple models:
Reported technical performance included spatial targeting of less than 1 millimetre and control of stimulation frequencies up to 9 Hz. The researchers also reported safety observations during daily activities in rats over an eight‑month period.
Current clinical pacemakers deliver electrical impulses with implanted leads and a subcutaneous pulse generator. The NUP removes implanted leads and the generator by using external ultrasound to activate cells, potentially avoiding hardware‑related complications and repeat procedures associated with implants. The key difference is that the heart tissue must be made responsive to ultrasound through genetic modification rather than relying on native electrical conduction alone.
# Main limitations and barriers to human use The reported results are experimental. Major constraints include:
# Practical implications right now This technology suggests a possible non‑implant option for pacing in the future, but it is not an available or approved treatment. Presently, implanted pacemakers remain the established and regulated option for patients who require cardiac pacing.
# Next steps researchers need to take Further preclinical safety work, improved methods for safe and targeted gene delivery, larger animal studies that better mimic human anatomy, and phased clinical trials with regulatory oversight are needed before human use can be considered.
Researchers have developed an experimental wearable pacemaker that uses focused ultrasound to stimulate the heart without placing a device The post Heartbeat by sound: Scientists develop non-invasive pacemaker appeared first on Vanguard News .
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