Cell & Stem Cell Research

Biography

Biography: Maryam Eslami

Abstract

The incidence and prevalence of heart valve disease is increasing worldwide and the number of heart valve replacements is expected to increase significantly in the future. By mimicking the main tissue structures and properties of human heart value, tissue engineering offers new options for the replacements. Applying an appropriate scaffold in fabricating tissue engineered heart valves (TEHVs) is of importance since it affects the secretion of the main extracellular matrix (ECM) components, collagen and elastin, which are crucial for providing the mechanical, elastic and tensile strength of TEHVs. Using Real Time PCR, the relative collagen and elastin genes expression levels obtained for three samples of each examined valvular interstitial cells (VICs)-seeded scaffolds including PGS-PCL microfibrous scaffolds, Gelatin and Hyaluronic acid based hydrogel-only and the composite (consists of PGS-PCL and hydrogel) scaffolds. Statistical analysis was performed using one way ANOVA with the significance level of P < 0.05. Our results showed that the level of relative expression of collagen and elastin genes was higher in the VICs-seeded composite scaffolds compared to PGS-PCL-only and hydrogel-only scaffolds and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The maximum difference of elastin and collagen genes expression was between the composite scaffold and the hydrogel-only scaffold, with the most and the least quantity, respectively. The VICs-seeded composite scaffold were observed to be more inductive to ECM secretion over the PGS-PCL-only and hydrogel-only scaffolds. This composite scaffold can serve as a model scaffold for heart valve tissue engineering with the capability of providing the necessary mechanical-properties such as, elasticity and tensile strength and the ability to grow, repair and be remodelled as a tissue.