Critical analysis of the role of biodegradable polymeric scaffolds in differentiation of human embryonic stem cell into cardiomyocytes

• Main Author: Amritamayee Sahoo
• Other Authors: Cai Yiyu
• Format: Theses and Dissertations
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Materials::Biomaterials; DRNTU::Engineering::Bioengineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/41450
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Congestive heart failure is a widespread problem throughout the world. Owing to the shortage of donors there has been a constant quest to find alternatives to organ transplant. Cell replacement therapy is a promising approach for the treatment of cardiac diseases, but is challenged by a limited supply of appropriate cells. Cardiac tissue engineering has been motivated by the need to create functional tissue equivalents for cardiac tissue repair. Embryonic stem cells are considered superior than other sources of tissue for generation of cardiomyocytes. They have been shown to integrate with cardiac muscles when injected into myocardium. However many obstacles have to be overcome on the way to successful clinical utilization of these cells.