A New Road to Cardiac Repair

Regenerative Medicine Using Stem Cells and Biocompatible Tissue Scaffold Materials

2010.11.24

National Institute for Materials Science

The Fuel Cell Nano-Materials Group, MANA, NIMS, in joint research with the University of Rome Tor Vergata School, succeed in creating a new technique for cardiac regenerative medicine.

Abstract

The Fuel Cell Nano-Materials Group (Group Leader: Enrico Traversa), International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA; Director-General: Masakazu Aono), National Institute for Materials Science (President: Sukekatsu Ushioda), in joint research with the University of Rome Tor Vergata School, succeed in creating a new technique for cardiac regenerative medicine. By combining biological and mechanical factors, it was possible to mature the precursor cells which are normally found in the hearts of adult mice to a form that perfectly expressed heart tissue within several days. Application as a new therapeutic technique is expected.
"Figure: (Left) Exploded view of the 3-dimensional biodegradable PLA tissue scaffold material, (center) heart precursor cells extended in holes in the scaffold material, and (right) cell nuclei of heart precursor cells which have perfectly differentiated (blue) and the cytoskeleton myotome (red)." Image

Figure: (Left) Exploded view of the 3-dimensional biodegradable PLA tissue scaffold material, (center) heart precursor cells extended in holes in the scaffold material, and (right) cell nuclei of heart precursor cells which have perfectly differentiated (blue) and the cytoskeleton myotome (red).