Polysaccharide-based scaffolds for in situ hydrogelation: Use for next generation of bioartificial cardiac tissues

In search for Matrigel substitutes, which is composed of proteins and glycans from mouse sarcoma, we disclose new dextran-derived functionalised hydrogels of different molecular weight suited as matrices in bioartificial cardiac tissue (BCT) cultivation. Moreover, the biopeptide RGD was coupled to the dextran polysaccharide backbone in order to modulate the bioactivity of the new matrices. Dextrans in combination with human collagen I, supported cardiac tissue formation with induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts. The strength and frequency of the formed heart muscles were monitored over time in a bioreactor. It was shown that covalently in situ cross linked dextrans are promising matrix systems for tissue formation in the field of regenerative medicine. The transcriptome of two bioartificial cardiac tissue (BCT) groups with induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CM), prepared using human collagen I (hColI) and functionalised dextrane (Dex) with or without RGD (Dex-RGD), was compared to the differentiated CM source and undifferentiated iPSCs.