A Biomimetic Leaflet Scaffold for Aortic Valve Remodeling

Abstract

AbstractHeart valve disease poses a significant clinical challenge, especially in pediatric populations, due to the inability of existing valve replacements to grow or respond biologically to their microenvironment. Tissue‐engineered heart valves (TEHVs) provide a solution by facilitating patient‐specific models for self‐repair and remodeling. In this study, a 3D‐bioprinted TEHV is designed to emulate the trilayer leaflet structure of an aortic valve. A cell‐laden hydrogel scaffold made from gelatin methacrylate and polyethylene glycol diacrylate (GelMA/PEGDA) incorporates valvular interstitial‐like (VIC‐like) cells, being reinforced with a layer of polycaprolactone (PCL). The composition of the hydrogel scaffold remains stable over 7 days, having increased mechanical strength compared to pure GelMA. The scaffold maintains VIC‐like cell function and promotes extracellular matrix (ECM) protein expression up to 14 days under two dynamic culture conditions: shear stress and stretching; replicating heart valve behavior within a more physiological‐like setting and suggesting remodeling potential via ECM synthesis. This TEHV offers a promising avenue for valve replacements, closely replicating the structural and functional attributes of a native aortic valve, leading to mechanical and biological integration through biomaterial–cellular interactions.