title: Engineering of biologically active living heart valve leaflets using human umbilical cord-derived progenitor cells.
abstract: This study demonstrates the engineering of biologically active heart valve leaflets using prenatally available human umbilical cord-derived progenitor cells as the only cell source. Wharton's Jelly-derived cells and umbilical cord blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells were subsequently seeded on biodegradable scaffolds and cultured in a biomimetic system under biochemical or mechanical stimulation or both. Depending on the stimulation, leaflets showed mature layered tissue formation with functional endothelia and extracellular matrix production comparable with that of native tissues. This demonstrates the feasibility of heart valve leaflet fabrication from prenatal umbilical cord-derived progenitor cells as a further step in overcoming the lack of living autologous replacements with growth and regeneration potential for the repair of congenital malformation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Research and Clinic for Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Dörthe
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mol
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Odermatt
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neuenschwander
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Breymann
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gössi
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Genoni
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zund
authors.forename: Simon P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Hoerstrup
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D040761:Biomimetic Materials; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000098:blood supply / Q000166:cytology*; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011091:Polyesters; C107955:poly(4-hydroxybutanoate); D011100:Polyglycolic Acid