Progress in Biomaterials for Cardiac Tissue Engineering and Regeneration

Cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading global causes of morbidity and mortality, posing considerable health and economic burden on patients and medical systems worldwide. This phenomenon is attributed to two main motives: poor regeneration capacity of adult cardiac tissues and insufficient therapeutic options. Thus, the context calls for upgrading treatments to deliver better outcomes. In this respect, recent research has approached the topic from an interdisciplinary perspective. Combining the advances encountered in chemistry, biology, material science, medicine, and nanotechnology, performant biomaterial-based structures have been created to carry different cells and bioactive molecules for repairing and restoring heart tissues. In this regard, this paper aims to present the advantages of biomaterial-based approaches for cardiac tissue engineering and regeneration, focusing on four main strategies: cardiac patches, injectable hydrogels, extracellular vesicles, and scaffolds and reviewing the most recent developments in these fields.

Automated summary

Cardiovascular diseases are a major cause of illness and death globally, resulting in significant health and economic burden. The limited regeneration capacity of adult cardiac tissues and lack of therapeutic options are the main reasons for this phenomenon. Recent interdisciplinary research has focused on biomaterial-based approaches to repair and restore heart tissues, utilizing advancements in chemistry, biology, material science, medicine, and nanotechnology. This paper aims to present the advantages of these approaches, such as cardiac patches, injectable hydrogels, extracellular vesicles, and scaffolds, and reviews the latest developments in these fields.