4D Thermo-Responsive Smart hiPSC-CM Cardiac Construct for Myocardial Cell Therapy

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• 4D fabrication enables dynamic constructs for on-demand shape transformation, ideal for complex biological systems like the cardiovascular system.
• The dynamic nature of the heart necessitates advanced therapeutic scaffolds that can adapt to its changing shape and facilitate cell delivery for cardiac repair.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a versatile 4D smart cardiac construct integrating minimally invasive cell delivery and in situ tissue patching capabilities for myocardial repair.
• To create thermo-responsive 4D structures capable of shape transformation at physiological temperatures for cardiac applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of thermo-responsive 4D structures using fused deposition modeling (FDM)-printing and stamping molding.
• Optimization of shape transformation behavior at designated temperatures and evaluation of mechanical properties, shape recovery rate, and speed.
• Assessment of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte (hiPSC-CM) proliferation and function on the 4D constructs via F-actin staining and immunostaining.

Main Results:

• The 4D constructs demonstrated effective shape transformation from spherical carriers to unfolded patches at human body temperature.
• Excellent biocompatibility of the 4D constructs was confirmed.
• Uniform myocardial maturation and controlled cell distribution were observed on the unfolded 4D constructs in vitro.

Conclusions:

• A novel 4D smart cardiac construct was successfully developed, merging cell vehicle and tissue patch functionalities.
• This integrated construct offers a promising solution for minimally invasive cardiac cell delivery and in situ myocardial tissue repair.
• The study highlights the potential of 4D fabrication in creating advanced, adaptive biomaterials for regenerative cardiology.