title: Electrospun biocomposite nanofibrous patch for cardiac tissue engineering.
abstract: A bioengineered construct that matches the chemical, mechanical, biological properties and extracellular matrix morphology of native tissue could be suitable as a cardiac patch for supporting the heart after myocardial infarction. The potential of utilizing a composite nanofibrous scaffold of poly(dl-lactide-co-glycolide)/gelatin (PLGA/Gel) as a biomimetic cardiac patch is studied by culturing a population of cardiomyocyte containing cells on the electrospun scaffolds. The chemical characterization and mechanical properties of the electrospun PLGA and PLGA/Gel nanofibers were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and tensile measurements. The biocompatibility of the scaffolds was also studied and the cardiomyocytes seeded on PLGA/Gel nanofibers were found to express the typical functional cardiac proteins such as alpha-actinin and troponin I, showing the easy integration of cardiomyocytes on PLGA/Gel scaffolds. Our studies strengthen the application of electrospun PLGA/Gel nanofibers as a bio-mechanical support for injured myocardium and as a potential substrate for induction of endogenous cardiomyocyte proliferation, ultimately reducing the cardiac dysfunction and improving cardiac remodeling.
authors.affiliation: Health Care and Energy Materials Laboratory, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore. nnimpp@nus.edu.sg
authors.forename: Molamma P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Prabhakaran
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kai
authors.forename: Laleh
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ghasemi-Mobarakeh
authors.forename: Seeram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramakrishna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005780:Gelatin; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009206:Myocardium; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D036103:Nanotechnology; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011817:Rabbits; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013718:Tensile Strength; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; D005780:Gelatin