Engineering Heart Valve Interfaces Using Melt Electrowriting: Biomimetic Design Strategies from Multi-Modal Imaging.

ABSTRACT: Interfaces within biological tissues not only connect different regions but also contribute to the overall functionality of the tissue. This is especially true in the case of the aortic heart valve. Here, melt electrowriting (MEW) is used to engineer complex, user-defined, interfaces for heart valve scaffolds. First, a multi-modal imaging investigation into the interfacial regions of the valve reveals differences in collagen orientation, density, and recruitment in previously unexplored regions including the commissure and inter-leaflet triangle. Overlapping, suturing, and continuous printing methods for interfacing MEW scaffolds are then investigated for their morphological, tensile, and flexural properties, demonstrating the superior performance of continuous interfaces. G-codes for MEW

SUBMITTER: Vernon MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11468946 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature