5 - Chitosan for cardiac tissue engineering and regeneration

Abstract

Heart disease is among the top causes of death every year. Current treatment options post-heart attack are focused on reducing the risk of recurrence, leaving the damaged tissue unattended. Recent trends in research have been aimed toward regenerating the damaged tissue using stem or mature cardiac cells. However, implantation of cells by many approaches has shown limited success due to significant attrition of injected cells, attributed to cell death. For complete engraftment of injected stem cells, biomaterials that could support cell survival and stability during the regenerative process are essential. In addition, biomaterial scaffolds must be able to perform similarly to cardiac tissue when exposed to the cardiac tissue environment. Using chitosan-based structures, an inexpensive biopolymer that is easily obtainable and available in large quantities, offers a promising approach. However, using chitosan alone has shown insufficient support for cardiac tissue growth and many alternative approaches have been attempted. This chapter summarizes recent developments in chitosan-based materials in regenerating cardiac tissue. In particular, chitosan-based scaffolds and hydrogels are presented from the context of cell growth and their mechanical behavior in comparison to other biomaterials. In addition, methods to fabricate chitosan scaffolds and hydrogels are outlined. Methods to evaluate chitosan scaffolds and hydrogels with respect to cardiac applications are also discussed.