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. 2015 Feb:7:57-64.
doi: 10.1016/j.coche.2014.11.004.

Human Cardiac Tissue Engineering: From Pluripotent Stem Cells to Heart Repair

Christopher P Jackman  1 , Ilya Y Shadrin  1 , Aaron L Carlson  1 , Nenad Bursac  1
Affiliations

Human Cardiac Tissue Engineering: From Pluripotent Stem Cells to Heart Repair

Christopher P Jackman et al. Curr Opin Chem Eng. 2015 Feb.

Abstract

Engineered cardiac tissues hold great promise for use in drug and toxicology screening, in vitro studies of human physiology and disease, and as transplantable tissue grafts for myocardial repair. In this review, we discuss recent progress in cell-based therapy and functional tissue engineering using pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and we describe methods for delivery of cells into the injured heart. While significant hurdles remain, notable advances have been made in the methods to derive large numbers of pure human cardiomyocytes, mature their phenotype, and produce and implant functional cardiac tissues, bringing the field a step closer to widespread in vitro and in vivo applications.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
General workflow for engineering and testing functional hPSC-CM tissues. hPSCs are differentiated to hPSC-CMs via a multi-stage differentiation procedure utilizing growth factors, small molecules, or their combination and purified via surface marker or metabolic selection. To form 3D engineered cardiac tissues, purified hPSC-CMs are combined with different biomaterials, further matured by application of biophysical and biochemical stimuli, and tested for structural, functional and molecular properties. Therapeutic potential of hPSC-CM tissues is evaluated by their implantation onto an injured heart followed by ex vivo and in vivo assessments.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Methods for delivery of cells into an injured heart. (1) Intracoronary cell infusion from a catheter in the coronary vasculature. (2) Intramyocardial injection from an epicardially inserted needle. (3) Transendocardial injection from an endocardially inserted catheter needle. (4) Epicardial cell delivery in the form of a tissue patch.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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