Development of a New Biocompatible and Conductive Electrospun Patch for Cardiac Tissue Regeneration

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide, with ischemic heart diseases alone responsible for 16% of global deaths in 2019. Traditional treatments, including heart transplantation, are limited by the scarcity of donor o rgans and the need for lifelong immunosuppression, highlighting the urgent need for alternative therapies. Cardiac patches represent a promising solution, offering a means to restore heart function by providing structural support and enhancing cardiac tiss ue regeneration. This thesis investigates the development of biocompatible and conductive electrospun patches for cardiac tissue engineering, focusing on mimicking the structural, mechanical, and electrical properties of the native myocardium. The study involved the selection of polyurethane (PU) as the base material due to its favorable mechanical properties and biocompatibility. Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was incorporated into the PU fibers to enhance electrical conductivi ty, which is critical for cardi ac tissue functionality. The fibers were produced using electrospinning, a technique known for creating nanofibrous scaffolds that closely resemble the extracellular matrix of cardiac tissue. To further improve cell adhesion, a nitrogen -rich plasma -polymerized coating (LPPE :N) was applied. The resulting patches were characterized through various techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, tensile testing, and conductivity measurements. In vitro testing with primary cardiac fibroblasts and cardiomyocytes demonstrated the non-cytotoxicity of the patches, although the impact of rGO and LPPE:N coating on cell viability and adhesion requires further investigation. The findings suggest that while the developed patches show potential, additional optimization is needed to enhance their performance for cardiac tissue regeneration applications. This research contributes to the ongoing efforts in cardiac tissue engineering, aiming to provide viable alternatives to conventional therapies for patients suffering from CVDs.