Valvulogenesis of a living, innervated pulmonary root induced by an acellular scaffold

Heart valve disease is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide with no effective medical therapy and no ideal valve substitute emulating the extremely sophisticated functions of a living heart valve. These functions influence survival and quality of life. This has stimulated extensive attempts at tissue engineering living heart valves. These attempts utilised combinations of allogeneic/ autologous cells and biological scaffolds with practical, regulatory, and ethical issues. In situ regeneration depends on scaffolds that attract, house and instruct cells and promote connective tissue formation. We describe a surgical, tissue-engineered, anatomically precise, novel off-the-shelf, acellular, synthetic scaffold inducing a rapid process of morphogenesis involving relevant cell types, extracellular matrix, regulatory elements including nerves and humoral components. This process relies on specific material characteristics, design and morphodynamism. This study describes a method for in situ recruitment of relevant cells and extracellular matrix using a novel acellular scaffold to produce a living pulmonary root.

Automated summary

Heart valve disease is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Currently, there is no effective medical therapy or ideal valve substitute. Tissue engineering living heart valves has been extensively explored as a potential solution. This study introduces a novel acellular synthetic scaffold that can induce rapid generation of relevant cells and extracellular matrix, leading to the production of a living pulmonary root.