Improved materials for cardiac reconstruction of congenital defects and heart failure are needed. Current surgical approaches for cardiac reconstruction utilize synthetic materials that slow the progression of disease, but do not provide any contractile function and do not have the ability to grow with the patient. Recently, porcine urinary bladder matrix (UBM) has been used to repair myocardial tissue. The remodeled UBM contributed to regional function in both canine and porcine models, but did not fully restore myocardial tissue. Cardiac extracellular matrix (C-ECM) may promote faster reconstruction of functional tissue by providing a scaffold with a composition and architecture similar to the tissue that it be intended to replace. The proposed study will determine the morphologic and functional differences in cardiac remodeling after repair with C-ECM, UBM, and Dacron patches. Furthermore, the study will include analysis of the recruitment and fate of bone marrow derived progenitor cells at the site of remodeling. An experienced interdisciplinary team consisting of biomechanical engineers, tissue engineers, physicians, and pathologists has been assembled to conduct these studies. A timeline for completion of these studies and quantitative criteria for success are provided.
Regenerative medicine approaches, such as naturally occurring extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffolds offer potential alternatives to surgical repair for congenital cardiac defects and adult heart failure. The current proposal will investigate efficacy of an ECM scaffolds derived from porcine myocardium for repair of a cardiac defect. The goal of the proposal is to determine if organ specific ECM is preferable for cardiac repair and whether bone marrow progenitor cells participate in the remodeling process.
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