title: Structural and biomechanical characterizations of porcine myocardial extracellular matrix.
abstract: Extracellular matrix (ECM) of myocardium plays an important role to maintain a multilayered helical architecture of cardiomyocytes. In this study, we have characterized the structural and biomechanical properties of porcine myocardial ECM. Fresh myocardium were decellularized in a rotating bioreactor using 0.1 % sodium dodecyl sulfate solution. Masson's trichrome staining and SEM demonstrated the removal of cells and preservation of the interconnected 3D cardiomyocyte lacunae. Movat's pentachrome staining showed the preservation of cardiac elastin ultrastructure and vascular elastin distribution/alignment. DNA assay result confirmed a 98.59 % reduction in DNA content; the acellular myocardial scaffolds were found completely lack of staining for the porcine α-Gal antigen; and the accelerating enzymatic degradation assessment showed a constant degradation rate. Tensile and shear properties of the acellular myocardial scaffolds were also evaluated. Our observations showed that the acellular myocardial ECM possessed important traits of biodegradable scaffolds, indicating the potentials in cardiac regeneration and whole heart tissue engineering.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Computational Manufacturing and Design, CAVS, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Tedder
authors.forename: Clara E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: Guangjun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Amy L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: de Jongh Curry
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: To
authors.forename: Steven H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Elder
authors.forename: Lakiesha N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Dan T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Simionescu
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002474:Cell-Free System / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008422:Materials Testing; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D033081:Shear Strength; D013552:Swine; D013718:Tensile Strength; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds