Can We Grow Valves Inside the Heart? Perspective on Material-based In Situ Heart Valve Tissue Engineering.

ABSTRACT: In situ heart valve tissue engineering using cell-free synthetic, biodegradable scaffolds is under development as a clinically attractive approach to create living valves right inside the heart of a patient. In this approach, a valve-shaped porous scaffold "implant" is rapidly populated by endogenous cells that initiate neo-tissue formation in pace with scaffold degradation. While this may constitute a cost-effective procedure, compatible with regulatory and clinical standards worldwide, the new technology heavily relies on the development of advanced biomaterials, the processing thereof into (minimally invasive deliverable) scaffolds, and the interaction of such materials with endogenous cells and neo-tissue under hemodynamic conditions. Despite the first positive preclinical results and

SUBMITTER: Bouten CVC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5987128 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature