title: Scaffolds for tissue engineering of cardiac valves.
abstract: Tissue engineered heart valves offer a promising alternative for the replacement of diseased heart valves avoiding the limitations faced with currently available bioprosthetic and mechanical heart valves. In the paradigm of tissue engineering, a three-dimensional platform - the so-called scaffold - is essential for cell proliferation, growth and differentiation, as well as the ultimate generation of a functional tissue. A foundation for success in heart valve tissue engineering is a recapitulation of the complex design and diverse mechanical properties of a native valve. This article reviews technological details of the scaffolds that have been applied to date in heart valve tissue engineering research.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jana
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Tefft
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Spoon
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. Electronic address: simari.robert@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Simari
mesh_terms: D006351:Heart Valves; D006801:Humans; D023822:Tissue Engineering
keywords: Fiber; Heart valve; Hydrogel; Scaffold; Tissue engineering