Tissue Engineered Heart Valvs (TEHVs) have the potential to replace synthetic and non-bioactive prosthestics which are incapable of supporting tissue remodelling and regeneraition. However, TEHVs need to withstand the severe mechanical loading conditions due to systemic blood cisculation. For this purpose, we have designed biologically inspired electro-spun fibres to mimic the wavy-like orientation of collagen fibres apparent in the Fibrosa and Ventricularis layer recapitulating the composition, dimensions and mechanical properties of the native valve while providing a biomimetic structure for extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. Leveraging the capabilities of Melt Electrospinning Writing (MEW), medical grade of PCL fibers were deposited in predefined helical patterns with various radius, pore-size and layer number displaying de Jshaped stress-strain curve and anisotropic mechanical characteristics of a native leaflet tissue. Objective: this study will demonstrate the potential of MEW for the fabrication of mechanically viable biomimentic scaffolds for patient-specific heart valve tissue engineering.

Outgoing