title: Nanoengineering the heart: conductive scaffolds enhance connexin 43 expression.
abstract: Scaffolds that couple electrical and elastic properties may be valuable for cardiac cell function. However, existing conductive materials do not mimic physiological properties. We prepared and characterized a tunable, hybrid hydrogel scaffold based on Au nanoparticles homogeneously synthesized throughout a polymer templated gel. Conductive gels had Young's moduli more similar to myocardium relative to polyaniline and polypyrrole, by 1-4 orders of magnitude. Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes exhibited increased expression of connexin 43 on hybrid scaffolds relative to HEMA with or without electrical stimulation.
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States.
authors.forename: Jin-Oh
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: Marjan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rafat
authors.forename: George J C
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Debra T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Auguste
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D016880:Anisotropy; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D018031:Connexin 43; D008689:Methacrylates; D011108:Polymers; C005044:hydroxyethyl methacrylate; D006046:Gold