Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering: Current Status and Advances

A special issue of Journal of Functional Biomaterials (ISSN 2079-4983).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 959

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Heart and Lung Institute, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Methodist Healthcare San Antonio, 7726 Louis Pasteur Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
Interests: blood vessel prostheses; tissue engineering; bioprosthetic material; autografts; aortic valve; pulmonary valve

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Guest Editor
Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Interests: cardiovascular; atherosclerosis; stents; restenosis; macrophages; inflammation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cardiovascular tissue engineering has emerged as one of the most promising fields in cardiovascular research, integrating the scientific disciplines of biology, physics, materials science, and biomedical engineering. It continues to evolve, with regular updates of information being highly valuable. Functional biomaterial systems are designed, manufactured, and used with various advanced tissue manufacturing methods to replicate the extracellular matrix of cardiac tissue. These cardiac biomaterials influence cellular behavior through complex sequences of physical and biochemical cues. The morphology and properties of cardiac or vascular scaffolds affect processes such as cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and function. In artificial bioengineering environments, cardiac and vascular cells have the potential to proliferate into functional tissues suitable for implantation. Despite advancements, cardiovascular diseases remain a significant cause of mortality, and this emphasizes the urgent need for early clinical applications in cardiovascular regenerative medicine.

This Special Issue focuses on analyzing the latest advancements in cardiovascular regenerative medicine, particularly in the engineering of cardiovascular tissues for in vitro disease modeling, drug screening, and in vivo regenerative applications. It includes detailed discussions on various biomaterials, cells, hybrid mechanisms, and the latest imaging evaluation methods or computational modeling related to the regeneration process. Contributions are also welcomed on advanced large animal experiments nearing completion and clinical trials approaching application. We look forward to receiving submissions.

Dr. Yuichi Matsuzaki
Dr. Ilia Fishbein
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • cardiovascular regenerative medicine
  • tissue engineering
  • functional biomaterials
  • in vitro mechanical property
  • computational modeling
  • large animal research
  • clinical research

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 9847 KiB  
Article
MicroRNA-210 Enhances Cell Survival and Paracrine Potential for Cardiac Cell Therapy While Targeting Mitophagy
by Rita Alonaizan, Ujang Purnama, Sophia Malandraki-Miller, Mala Gunadasa-Rohling, Andrew Lewis, Nicola Smart and Carolyn Carr
J. Funct. Biomater. 2025, 16(4), 147; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb16040147 - 21 Apr 2025
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Abstract
The therapeutic potential of presumed cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) in heart regeneration has garnered significant interest, yet clinical trials have revealed limited efficacy due to challenges in cell survival, retention, and expansion. Priming CPCs to survive the hostile hypoxic environment may be key [...] Read more.
The therapeutic potential of presumed cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) in heart regeneration has garnered significant interest, yet clinical trials have revealed limited efficacy due to challenges in cell survival, retention, and expansion. Priming CPCs to survive the hostile hypoxic environment may be key to enhancing their regenerative capacity. We demonstrate that microRNA-210 (miR-210), known for its role in hypoxic adaptation, significantly improves CPC survival by inhibiting apoptosis through the downregulation of Casp8ap2, a ~40% reduction in caspase activity, and a ~90% decrease in DNA fragmentation. Contrary to the expected induction of Bnip3-dependent mitophagy by hypoxia, miR-210 did not upregulate Bnip3, indicating a distinct anti-apoptotic mechanism. Instead, miR-210 reduced markers of mitophagy and increased mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative metabolism, suggesting a role in metabolic reprogramming. Furthermore, miR-210 enhanced the secretion of paracrine growth factors from CPCs, with a ~1.6-fold increase in the release of stem cell factor and of insulin growth factor 1, which promoted in vitro endothelial cell proliferation and cardiomyocyte survival. These findings elucidate the multifaceted role of miR-210 in CPC biology and its potential to enhance cell-based therapies for myocardial repair by promoting cell survival, metabolic adaptation, and paracrine signalling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering: Current Status and Advances)
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Review

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26 pages, 5083 KiB  
Review
Injectable Stem Cell-Based Therapies for Myocardial Regeneration: A Review of the Literature
by Marissa Guo, Tatsuya Watanabe and Toshiharu Shinoka
J. Funct. Biomater. 2025, 16(5), 152; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb16050152 - 23 Apr 2025
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Abstract
Stem cell-based therapies are an emerging treatment modality aimed at replenishing lost cardiomyocytes and improving myocardial function after cardiac injury. This review examines the current state of research on injectable stem cell therapies in the setting of cardiovascular disease given their relative simplicity [...] Read more.
Stem cell-based therapies are an emerging treatment modality aimed at replenishing lost cardiomyocytes and improving myocardial function after cardiac injury. This review examines the current state of research on injectable stem cell therapies in the setting of cardiovascular disease given their relative simplicity and ability for deep myocardial tissue penetration. Various methods of cell delivery, ranging in level of invasiveness and procedural complexity, have been developed, and numerous cell types have been studied as potential sources of stem cells, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages. We discuss key challenges associated with this approach, including low stem cell retention after transplantation and the innovative biomolecular strategies that have been explored to address this issue. Overall, investigations into the application of stem cells toward cardiac regeneration remain predominantly in the preclinical stage with a number of small, early-phase clinical trials. However, continued scientific advancements in stem cell technology may provide transformative treatment options for patients with heart failure, offering improved survival and quality of life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering: Current Status and Advances)
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