Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Electroactive Polymeric Composites To Mimic The Electromechanical Properties Of Myocardium In Cardiac Tissue Repair, Kaylee Meyers, Bruce Lee, Rupak Rajachar

Michigan Tech Publications

Due to the limited regenerative capabilities of cardiomyocytes, incidents of myocardial infarction can cause permanent damage to native myocardium through the formation of acellular, non-conductive scar tissue during wound repair. The generation of scar tissue in the myocardium compromises the biomechanical and electrical properties of the heart which can lead to further cardiac problems including heart failure. Currently, patients suffering from cardiac failure due to scarring undergo transplantation but limited donor availability and complications (i.e., rejection or infectious pathogens) exclude many individuals from successful transplant. Polymeric tissue engineering scaffolds provide an alternative approach to restore normal myocardium structure and function …