Three-dimensional printed trileaflet valve conduits using biological hydrogels and human valve interstitial cells.

ABSTRACT: Tissue engineering has great potential to provide a functional de novo living valve replacement, capable of integration with host tissue and growth. Among various valve conduit fabrication techniques, three-dimensional (3-D) bioprinting enables deposition of cells and hydrogels into 3-D constructs with anatomical geometry and heterogeneous mechanical properties. Successful translation of this approach, however, is constrained by the dearth of printable and biocompatible hydrogel materials. Furthermore, it is not known how human valve cells respond to these printed environments. In this study, 3-D printable formulations of hybrid hydrogels are developed, based on methacrylated hyaluronic acid (Me-HA) and methacrylated gelatin (Me-Gel), and used to bioprint heart valve conduits containing en

SUBMITTER: Duan B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3976766 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature