Application of injectable hydrogels for cardiac stem cell therapy and tissue engineering

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are responsible for approximately one-third of deaths around the world. Among cardiovascular diseases, the largest single cause of death is ischemic heart disease. Ischemic heart disease typically manifests as progressive constriction of the coronary arteries, which obstructs blood flow to the heart and can ultimately lead to myocardial infarction. This adversely affects the structure and function of the heart. Conventional treatments lack the ability to treat the myocardium lost during an acute myocardial infarction. Stem cell therapy offers an excellent solution for myocardial regeneration. Stem cell sources such as adult stem cells, embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells have been the focal point of research in cardiac tissue engineering. However, cell survival and engraftment post-transplantation are major limitations that must be addressed prior to widespread use of this technology. Recently, biomaterials have been introduced as 3D vehicles to facilitate stem cell transplantation into infarct sites. This has shown significant promise with improved cell survival after transplantation. In this review, we discuss the various injectable hydrogels that have been tried in cardiac tissue engineering. Exploring and optimizing these cell-material interactions will guide cardiac tissue engineering towards developing stem cell based functional 3D constructs for cardiac regeneration.

Bacterial Cellulose and ECM Hydrogels: An Innovative Approach for Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine

“…The use of stem cells is a promising approach for myocardial regeneration, and the concept of replacing cells lost in myocardial injury with new stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes attracts researchers. Several cell types are investigated for therapeutic purposes, from adult stem cells or progenitor cells to induced embryonic or pluripotent stem cells [ 51 ].…”

“…Regenerative medicine that uses cardiac tissue engineering techniques aims to improve patient’s survival and quality of life. Biomaterials can improve cell therapy by aiding cell survival, providing sufficient mechanical strength to house cells, which disintegrate as tissue develops, and their degradation products must not be toxic and must be eliminated from the body safely [ 51 , 52 ].…”

“…3D hydrophilic polymer networks are formed from molecular interactions between different functional groups present in base polymers, which swell with the absorption of biological fluids without undergoing any change in their underlying molecular structure. This feature allows hydrogels to act as a soft and elastic scaffold, being able to imitate tissue in a microenvironment [ 51 ]. Hydrogels interact with water or biological fluids by capillary force, penetration force, and hydration force, and these forces can cancel each other out [ 121 ], which interferes with the swelling of hydrogels driven by osmotic pressure and the Gibbs–Donnan effect.…”

3D Bioprinting of Cardiovascular Tissues for In Vivo and In Vitro Applications Using Hybrid Hydrogels Containing Silk Fibroin: State of the Art and Challenges

“…Hydrogels are polymeric networks characterized by hydrophilic chains that confer them specific features to mimic the native tissue microenvironment [55•, 56]. Given their molecular interactions between functional groups present in the hydrophilic chains, they can swell and hold a high water content, becoming highly hydrated polymer networks [54][55][56]. This characteristic convenes a level of plasticity to the network that is comparable to the native tissue one [57].…”

Ionic liquid functionalized injectable and conductive hyaluronic acid hydrogels for the efficient repair of diabetic wounds under electrical stimulation

“…Injectable hydrogels are in the form of an aqueous solution before application, and after being injected into the body, the sol–gel transition process is completed under different physiological conditions (such as temperature, pH, magnetic field, and electric field). 20–22 Because the in situ formation of hydrogels occurs after they are applied to wounds by injection, their use is facile and it is less invasive to the skin and surrounding tissues. 23,24 In particular, hyaluronic acid (HA)-based hydrogels have recently received enormous attention in wound healing due to their intrinsic properties due to their outstanding biocompatibility, hydrophilicity, and low cost.…”