Decellularized whole heart for bioartificial heart

Methods Mol Biol. 2013:1036:163-78. doi: 10.1007/978-1-62703-511-8_14.

Abstract

Whole-organ decellularization has opened the gates to the creation of 3D extracellular matrix (ECM) templates that mimic nature's design to a degree that-as for today-is not reproducible with any synthetic materials. Here, we describe a whole-heart decellularization approach through software-controlled automated coronary perfusion with standard decellularization detergents, enabling us to create native ECM-derived 3D templates that preserve the basic anatomy, vascular network, and critical ECM characteristics of the native heart. Such a cardiac ECM platform directly derived from nature itself might help us to better understand and reproduce cardiac biology and may even lay the grounds for the construction of a bioartificial heart in the future.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bioartificial Organs*
  • Cell Separation / methods*
  • Glycosaminoglycans / analysis
  • Heart / physiology*
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / analysis
  • Perfusion
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Lew
  • Tissue Engineering / methods*

Substances

  • Glycosaminoglycans
  • Membrane Proteins