AUTHOR=Castells-Sala Cristina , Prat-Vidal Cristina , Roura Santiago , López-Chicón Patrícia , Fariñas Óscar , Bayes-Genis Antoni , Rodríguez-Gómez Luciano , Vilarrodona Anna 

TITLE=Human pericardial extracellular matrix: An implantation platform for cardiac tissue engineering

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Biomaterials Science

VOLUME=1

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/biomaterials-science/articles/10.3389/fbiom.2022.953837

DOI=10.3389/fbiom.2022.953837

ISSN=2813-3749

ABSTRACT=<p>Tissue engineering, which involves the use of therapeutic biologicals supported by implantable materials, represents a promising tool to repair damaged tissues or organs. Among the most proper supporting materials and scaffolds, natural extracellular matrix (ECM) constitutes a dynamic platform of structural and functional fibers and biomolecules that confers a suitable microenvironment for cell attachment, proliferation and differentiation <italic>via</italic> activation of host signaling cues. In this context, ECM derived from human pericardium emerges as a supportive porous biomaterial to regenerate post-infarcted myocardium. In specific, pericardial ECM highlights as a potential clinical option for administering those active components grown and purified from large-scale cell cultures, such as mesenchymal stromal cells and derived extracellular vesicles, and to locally generate a vascularized bioactive niche promoting modulation of post-ischemic inflammation and cardiac repair.</p>