Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 10, 2026
Cardiac Spheroids as in vitro Bioengineered Heart Tissues to Study Human Heart Pathophysiology
Published on: January 23, 2021
Development of next generation cardiovascular therapeutics through bio-assisted nanotechnology
Rajesh Lakshmanan1, Nilanjana Maulik1
1Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Surgery, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut.
Insights
Cardiovascular diseases cause significant mortality. This review explores advanced biomaterial scaffolds and nano-assisted technologies, including graphene and exosomal nanovesicles, for treating acute myocardial infarction and regenerating cardiac tissue.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
- Cardiovascular Research
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of death globally.
- Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) causes irreversible left ventricular damage due to blocked coronary arteries and oxidative stress.
- Current treatments aim to protect the left ventricle and rescue ischemic cardiac tissue.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular diseases, focusing on biomaterials.
- To discuss recent advancements in cardiovascular therapeutics using novel nanomaterials like graphene and exosomal nanovesicles.
- To explore future directions in nano-assisted cardiovascular therapeutics.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular diseases.
- Emphasis on biomaterials, including biological and nanomaterials.
- Detailed discussion of graphene and exosomal nanovesicles in cardiovascular therapeutics.
Main Results:
- Biomaterial scaffolds loaded with growth factors and cells show promise in preclinical studies for regenerating ischemic cardiac tissue.
- Graphene and exosomal nanovesicles represent recent advancements in cardiovascular therapeutics.
- Nano-assisted technology offers future potential for developing next-generation cardiovascular treatments.
Conclusions:
- Biomaterials and nanomaterials are crucial for developing effective cardiovascular therapeutics.
- Advanced strategies like graphene and exosomal nanovesicles hold significant therapeutic potential.
- Future research should focus on nano-assisted technologies for enhanced cardiac tissue regeneration and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Abstract:
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) rank, next to cancer and stroke, among the deadliest diseases in the world. Among the major CVDs, acute myocardial infarction is a life-threatening disorder resulting from permanent damage to the left ventricular cardiac tissue. The major coronary arteries that supply blood to the functional left ventricle become blocked due to thrombotic plaque occlusion. During myocardial ischemia, oxidative stress and free radicals destroy healthy cardiomyocytes, smooth muscle cells, and endothelial cells, followed by degradation of the extracellular matrix, which results in ventricular wall-thinning and dilation. To protect the left ventricle from further damage and to rescue ischemic cardiac tissue, specially designed scaffolds consisting of biological material and nanomaterials have been developed. At the preclinical level, scaffolds loaded with growth factors and cells have been shown to regenerate ischemic tissue into healthy, functional myocardium. In this review, different therapeutic strategies currently available to treat the disease conditions at various stages are discussed, with special emphasis on biomaterials. Recent advancements in cardiovascular therapeutics using graphene and exosomal nanovesicles are discussed in detail. In addition, future directions for the development of next-generation cardiovascular therapeutics with biological and non-biological materials through nano-assisted technology are explored. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 2072-2083, 2018.
