Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Johnson
et al
. (2011) have examined the material properties of a self-assembling ECM
hydrogel derived from porcine myocardial tissue for use as a tissue-specific injectable scaffold
for cardiac tissue engineering [65]. In another recent approach, Lin
et al
. (2012) have shown
that an intramyocardial injection of VEGF along with self-assembling peptide significantly
improves angiogenesis, arteriogenesis, and cardiac performance 28 days after myocardial
infarction
in vivo
[66]. Aligned and superaligned nanofibers of PLLA scaffold also promote
the adhesion and proliferation of bone-marrow-derived EPCs, which provide an excellent
substrate for vascular tissue engineering [67].
A new generation of nanocomposite based on silsesquioxane in the form of polyhedral
oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanocages that incorporate bioactive peptides (RGD) has
also been shown to promote endothelialization from EPCs [68]. In another study by Webber
et al
. (2010) the development of bioactive peptide amphiphile nanofibers displaying the
fibronectin-derived RGDS cell-adhesion epitope as a scaffold for therapeutic delivery of
bone-marrow-derived stem and progenitor cells has been reported. The study has shown that
stem cells encapsulated within this RGDS nanofiber gel have increased viability and prolifer-
ation and an increase in the endothelial character, evident by an increase in the expression of
endothelial-specific markers VE-Cadherin, VEGFR2, and eNOS. The binary RGDS material
has also been reported to have an anti-apoptotic effect and to support these cells
in vivo
[69].
Conclusions
Advances in nanotechnology have led to the fabrication of scaffolds that closely mimic the
natural cardiovascular cell environment. The nanoscale manipulation of biopolymeric
scaffold composition, mechanical properties, and three-dimensional architecture at
in vivo
-
scale resolutions allows optimal growth and differentiation of cardiovascular cells and stem
cells, leading to their successful functional integration with the host heart tissue. The next
challenge is to test and optimize the efficacy and potency of various nanoscaffolds and
cardiovascular cells in well-designed
in vivo
experimental and clinical studies and develop
potent nanomedicines for cardiovascular diseases.
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