AI-guided laser purification of human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes for next-generation cardiac cell manufacturing
Authors: Prakaimuk Saraithong, Peyton Krajcarski, Yukako Kusaka, Moe Yamada, Junichi Matsumoto, Hailey Cunningham, Sama Salih, Darby Jones, Devika Baddhan, Christian Hausner, Justus Anumonwo, Anthony Rosenzweig, Mary M. Navarro, Luis Villa Diaz, Joseph Criscione, Deok-Ho Kim & Todd J. Herron
Originally Published in: Communications Biology (May 2025)
Abstract
Current methods for producing cardiomyocytes from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) using 2D monolayer differentiation are often hampered by batch-to-batch variability and inefficient purification processes. Here, we introduce CM-AI, a novel artificial intelligence-guided laser cell processing platform designed for rapid, label-free purification of hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). This approach significantly reduces processing time without the need for chronic metabolic selection or antibody-based sorting. By integrating real-time cellular morphology analysis and targeted laser ablation, CM-AI selectively removes non-cardiomyocyte populations with high precision. This streamlined process preserves cardiomyocyte viability and function, offering a scalable and efficient solution for cardiac regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and drug discovery.