Engineering 3D Bio-Artificial Heart Muscle: The Acellular Ventricular Extracellular Matrix Model

Current therapies in left ventricular systolic dysfunction and end-stage heart failure include mechanical assist devices or transplant. The development of a tissue-engineered integrative platform would present a therapeutic option that overcomes the limitations associated with current treatment modalities. This study provides a foundation for the fabrication and preliminary viability of the acellular ventricular extracellular matrix (AVEM) model. Acellular ventricular extracellular matrix was fabricated by culturing 4 million rat neonatal cardiac cells around an excised acellular ventricular segment. Acellular ventricular extracellular matrix generated a maximum spontaneous contractile force of 388.3 mu N and demonstrated a Frank-Starling relationship at varying pretensions. Histologic assessment displayed cell cohesion and adhesion within the AVEM as a result of passive cell seeding.