Serum- and xeno-free culture of human umbilical cord perivascular cells for pediatric heart valve tissue engineering.

Background: Constructs currently used to repair or replace congenitally diseased pediatric heart valves lack a viable cell population capable of functional adaptation in situ, necessitating repeated surgical intervention. Heart valve tissue engineering (HVTE) can address these limitations by producing functional living tissue in vitro that holds the potential for somatic growth and remodelling upon implantation. However, clinical translation of HVTE strategies requires an appropriate source of autologous cells that can be non-invasively harvested from mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-rich tissues and cultured under serum- and xeno-free conditions.

Design of a Mechanobioreactor to Apply Anisotropic, Biaxial Strain to Large Thin Biomaterials for Tissue Engineered Heart Valve Applications.

Repair and replacement solutions for congenitally diseased heart valves capable of post-surgery growth and adaptation have remained elusive. Tissue engineered heart valves (TEHVs) offer a potential biological solution that addresses the drawbacks of existing valve replacements. Typically, TEHVs are made from thin, fibrous biomaterials that either become cell populated in vitro or in situ.

Porcine Umbilical Cord Perivascular Cells for Preclinical Testing of Tissue-Engineered Heart Valves.

Many children born with congenital heart disease need a heart valve repair or replacement. Currently available repair materials and valve replacements are incapable of growth, repair, and adaptation rendering them inadequate for growing children. Heart valve tissue engineering (HVTE) aims to develop living replacement valves that can meet these needs.