Extracellular matrix-based biomaterials for cardiac regeneration and repair

The spectrum of ischemic heart diseases, encompassing acute myocardial infarction to heart failure, represents the leading cause of death worldwide. Although extensive progress in cardiovascular diagnoses and therapy has been made, the prevalence of the disease continues to increase. Cardiac regeneration has a promising perspective for the therapy of heart failure. Recently, extracellular matrix (ECM) has been shown to play an important role in cardiac regeneration and repair after cardiac injury. There is also evidence that the ECM could be directly used as a drug to promote cardiomyocyte proliferation and cardiac regeneration. Increasing evidence supports that applying ECM biomaterials to maintain heart function recovery is an important approach to apply the concept of cardiac regenerative medicine to clinical practice in the future. Here, we will introduce the essential role of cardiac ECM in cardiac regeneration and summarize the approaches of delivering ECM biomaterials to promote cardiac repair in this review.

Automated summary

Ischemic heart diseases, from acute myocardial infarction to heart failure, are the leading cause of death worldwide. Cardiac regeneration holds promise for the treatment of heart failure, with extracellular matrix playing a key role in promoting cardiomyocyte proliferation and cardiac repair. The use of ECM biomaterials to maintain heart function recovery is a crucial approach for applying cardiac regenerative medicine to clinical practice in the future.