Flexible, Biodegradable Scaffolds for Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering
- pdf version of the abstract

Evidence suggests that the engineering of tissue for mechanically-demanding applications in the cardiovascular system will require mechanical conditioning of cell-scaffold constructs prior to their implantation. Scaffold properties amenable to such an application might include high elastance and strength coupled with controllable bioerosive and cell adhesive properties. To fulfill such design criteria we have synthesized a family of poly(ester-urethane)ureas from biocompatible precursor molecules. To encourage cell adhesion and growth, the polymers have been surface modified with adhesion peptides and loaded with growth factors. Three-dimensional porous scaffolds have been created with solvent-based polymer processing and implanted to successfully reconstruct the right ventricular outflow tract in rats. This new class of bioerodible polyurethanes holds promise for future application as a scaffold in cardiovascular tissue engineering and potentially in other soft tissue applications