Fabrication of Polycaprolactone-Gelatin scaffold for Cardiac Progenitor Cellsdifferentiation

 This research, design and fabrication of a composite scaffold for growth, proliferation and differentiation of Cardiac Progenitor Cells (CPCs) has been considered.

 Polycaprolactone / Gelatin composite scaffolds with a ratio of 70:30 and with the most similarities to the cardiac extracellular matrix was fabricated with aligned nanofibers. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mechanical strength analysisand also contact angel test, the scaffold was investigated due to have the most necessary characteristics to be proportional for cardiac scaffold. Finally, By Real time-PCR test, the expression of the specific genes related to the Cardiac Progenitor Cells differentiation (MYH-6, TTN and CX-43) has been analyzed.

 Based on our results from contact angle test and mechanical strength experiments, we concluded that our designed scaffold is suitable for the culture of Cardiac Progenitor Cells on it. The Real time-PCR analysis also showed the good expression of genes associated with contraction.

 What makes the cardiomyocytes different from other cells is their contraction related to specific cardiac genes being responsible for beating synchronization. The results of this study showed that aligned Polycaprolactone / Gelatin composite scaffold has the appropriate potential for induction of cardiac progenitor cells differentiation and application in heart tissue engineering.