Abstract
Although tissue-engineering approaches have led to significant progress in the quest of finding a viable substitute for dysfunctional myocardium, the vascularization of such bioartificial constructs still remains a major challenge. Hence, there is a need for model systems that allow us to study and better understand cardiac and vascular biology to overcome current limitations. Therefore, in this study, in toto decellularized rat hearts with a patent vessel system were processed into standardized coronary artery tissue flaps adherent to the ascending aorta. Protein diffusivity analysis and blood perfusion of the coronary arteries showed proper sealing of the de-endothelialized vessels. Retrograde aortic perfusion allowed for selective seeding of the coronary artery system, while surface seeding of the tissue flaps allowed for additional controlled coculture with cardiac cells. The coronary artery tissue-flap model offers a patent and perfusable coronary vascular architecture with a preserved cardiac extracellular matrix, therefore mimicking nature's input to the highest possible degree. This offers the possibility to study re-endothelialization and endothelial function of different donor cell types and their interaction with cardiac cells in a standardized biologically derived cardiac in vitro model, while establishing a platform that could be used for in vitro drug testing and stem cell differentiation studies.