Bioengineered models of cardiovascular diseases

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Research
• Material Science

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), primarily artery disorders like atherosclerosis, are a major cause of death in the elderly.
• Developing clinically relevant bioengineered models for CVDs is of increasing interest.
• Advancements in bioengineering and material science enable intricate models mimicking native cardiac and vascular tissues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent progress in bioengineered in vitro platforms for investigating human cardiovascular system pathophysiology.
• To highlight advanced 3D vascular platforms for studying vascular aging and stiffening.
• To emphasize the potential of these models in basic research, pharmaceutical intervention, and drug discovery.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent advancements in bioengineered in vitro models for cardiovascular research.
• Focus on 3D organoid and vessel-on-a-chip technologies.
• Comparison of novel 3D models with traditional 2D cell cultures and in vivo experiments.

Main Results:

• Bioengineered models closely mimic native cardiac and blood vessel structures and environments.
• Vessel-on-a-chip and advanced 3D models offer pathophysiologically relevant insights.
• These technologies provide faster and more cost-effective alternatives to traditional in vivo studies.

Conclusions:

• Bioengineered in vitro models, particularly 3D and vessel-on-a-chip platforms, are revolutionizing cardiovascular disease modeling.
• These models are crucial for understanding vascular aging and stiffening, key factors in CVDs.
• The transition to advanced 3D models accelerates research and facilitates drug discovery for cardiovascular conditions.