Production and characterization of elastomeric cardiac tissue-like patches for Myocardial Tissue Engineering

The production of a functional cardiac tissue to be transplanted in the injured area of the infarcted myocardium represents a challenge for regenerative medicine. Most cell-based grafts are unviable because of inadequate perfusion; therefore, prevascularization might be a suitable approach for myocardial tissue engineering. To this aim, cells with a differentiation potential towards vascular and cardiac muscle phenotypes have been cocultured in 2D or 3D appropriate scaffolds. In addition to these basic approaches, more sophisticated strategies have been followed employing mixed-cell sheets, microvascular modules, and inosculation from vascular explants. Technologies exerting spatial control of vascular cells, such as topographical surface roughening and ordered patterning, represent other ways to drive scaffold vascularization. Finally, microfluidic devices and bioreactors exerting mechanical stress have also been employed for high-throughput scaling-up production in order to accelerate muscle differentiation and speeding the endothelialization process. Future research should address issues such as how to optimize cells, biomaterials, and biochemical components to improve the vascular integration of the construct within the cardiac wall, satisfying the metabolic and functional needs of the myocardial tissue.

Download Full-text

NEW BIOARTIFICIAL SYSTEMS AND BIODEGRADABLE SYNTHETIC POLYMERS FOR CARDIAC TISSUE ENGINEERING: A PRELIMINARY SCREENING

Biomedical Engineering Applications Basis and Communications ◽

10.4015/s1016237210002249 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 22 (06) ◽

pp. 497-507 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Elisabetta Rosellini ◽

Caterina Cristallini ◽

Niccoletta Barbani ◽

Giovanni Vozzi ◽

Mario D'Acunto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tissue Engineering ◽

Cardiac Tissue ◽

Degradation Products ◽

Synthetic Polymers ◽

Myocardial Tissue ◽

Specific Cell ◽

Biological Characterization ◽

Proliferation And Differentiation ◽

Poly Ethylene ◽

Myocardial Tissue Engineering

The aim of this work was the preparation and characterization of new polymeric biomaterials for application in myocardial tissue engineering. The attention was firstly focused on new bioartificial polymeric systems, with the aim to combine the features of synthetic polymers with the specific cell and tissue compatibility of biopolymers. In this work, alginate, collagen, and gelatin were used as the natural component and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) was used as the synthetic component. The characterization included morphological, topographical, and mechanical analyses, thermogravimetric characterization, infrared spectroscopy, and cell culture tests. For the biological characterization, C2C12 myoblasts were cultured on different materials and cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation were evaluated. The morphological, topographical, and mechanical analyses, as well as the biological characterization, were also applied to a tri-block poly(ester-ether-ester) copolymer, obtained by reaction of preformed poly(ethylene glycol) with ε-caprolactone, and a novel poly(ester urethane) obtained by using an L-lisine-derived diisocyanate, giving nontoxic degradation products. The encouraging results obtained in this work allowed us to select some of the new bioartificial polymers, the synthetic tri-block copolymer, and the polyurethane as potential good materials to prepare scaffolds for myocardial tissue engineering.

Download Full-text