Applications in Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering

Cardiovascular tissue engineering aims to create functional tissue scaffolds that can re-establish the structure and function of injured sites of the cardiovascular system. A considerable amount of cardiovascular therapeutics, particularly for major and serious disorders, involves the use of devices. Some of these may be implanted by surgery, whereas others are inserted via minimally invasive procedures involving catheterization. Although different synthetic materials have been used for the development of cardiovascular devices, PUs have several advantages over the others. Besides their biocompatibility and their mechanical flexibility [100-103], PUs have very high flexural endurance compared to most elastomers, making them prime candidates for cardiovascular implants. 

Polyurethanes obtained from renewable resources, such as carbohydrates, have attracted much attention in recent years [110,111]. This new interest results from great biomass access and their potential as replacements for some petroleum-based polymer precursors. The polymers obtained from natural products are expected to be biodegradable and non-toxic. The inclusion of hydrophilic monomers, such as carbohydrates, into the polymer chain facilitates water attack, increasing the hydrolytic degradation. 

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Bianchi, F., Vassalle, C., Simonetti, M., Vozzi, G., Domenici, C., Ahluwalia,A. (2006). Endothelial cell function on 2D and 3D microfabricated polymer scaffolds Applications in cardiovascular tissue engineering. JBiomater Sci., Polym 17, 37-51. 

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