Getting to the heart of tissue engineering

Cardiovascular disease affects 80 million people in the USA and is the leading cause of death. Significant limitations of current treatments necessitate the development of novel strategies. Cardiovascular tissue engineering is an emerging field focused on the development of biological substitutes to restore, maintain, or improve tissue function. In this article, we present an overview of trends in the field and scientific milestones achieved during the last decade. Various 3D bioengineered models of functional cardiovascular structures, including cell-based cardiac pumps, ventricles, patches, vessels, and valves, are described. We discuss critical technological hurdles that must be addressed for continued progress and an outlook for the future of cardiovascular tissue engineering.