Polymers 2011, 3(2), 740-761; doi:10.3390/polym3020740
Review

Hydrogels for Cardiac Tissue Engineering

Zhenqing Liemail and Jianjun Guan* email
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 8 March 2011 / Accepted: 8 April 2011 / Published: 9 April 2011
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biofunctional Polymers for Medical Applications)
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Abstract: Cardiac tissue regeneration is an integrated process involving both cells and supporting matrix. Cardiomyocytes and stem cells are utilized to regenerate cardiac tissue. Hydrogels, because of their tissue-like properties, have been used as supporting matrices to deliver cells into infarcted cardiac muscle. Bioactive and biocompatible hydrogels mimicking biochemical and biomechanical microenvironments in native tissue are needed for successful cardiac tissue regeneration. These hydrogels not only retain cells in the infarcted area, but also provide support for restoring myocardial wall stress and cell survival and functioning. Many hydrogels, including natural polymer hydrogels, synthetic polymer hydrogels, and natural/synthetic hybrid hydrogels are employed for cardiac tissue engineering. In this review, types of hydrogels used for cardiac tissue engineering are briefly introduced. Their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Furthermore, strategies for cardiac regeneration using hydrogels are reviewed.
Keywords: hydrogel; cardiac tissue engineering; stem cells; biofunctional polymers

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Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Li, Z.; Guan, J. Hydrogels for Cardiac Tissue Engineering. Polymers 2011, 3, 740-761.

AMA Style

Li Z, Guan J. Hydrogels for Cardiac Tissue Engineering. Polymers. 2011; 3(2):740-761.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Li, Zhenqing; Guan, Jianjun. 2011. "Hydrogels for Cardiac Tissue Engineering." Polymers 3, no. 2: 740-761.

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