Friedrich-Alexander-Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg 1 article published in JoVE Medicine Preparation of Human Myocardial Tissue for Long-Term Cultivation Jules Hamers1,2, Payel Sen1,2, Daphne Merkus1,2,3, Thomas Seidel4,5, Kun Lu1,6, Andreas Dendorfer1,2 1Walter-Brendel-Centre of Experimental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 2German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Munich, Munich Heart Alliance (MHA), 3Division of Experimental Cardiology, Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 4Institute of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 5Muscle Research Center Erlangen (MURCE), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 6Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital, LMU Munich We present a protocol for ex vivo cultivation of human ventricular myocardial tissue. It allows for detailed analysis of contraction force and kinetics, as well as the application of pre- and afterload to mimic the in vivo physiological environment more closely.