Leaf-venation-directed cellular alignment for macroscale cardiac constructs with tissue-like functionalities.

ABSTRACT: Recapitulating the complex structural, mechanical, and electrophysiological properties of native myocardium is crucial to engineering functional cardiac tissues. Here, we report a leaf-venation-directed strategy that enables the compaction and remodeling of cell-hydrogel hybrids into highly aligned and densely packed organizations in predetermined patterns. This strategy contributes to interconnected tubular structures with cell alignment along the hierarchical channels. Compared to randomly-distributed cells, the engineered leaf-venation-directed-cardiac tissues from neonatal rat cardiomyocytes manifest advanced maturation and functionality as evidenced by detectable electrophysiological activity, macroscopically synchronous contractions, and upregulated maturation genes. As a demonstrati

SUBMITTER: Mao M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10097867 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature