Bioprinted cardiac patch composed of cardiac progenitor cells and extracellular matrix for heart repair and regeneration

Statement of Purpose: The heart has limited capacity for repair after surgery in congenital patients. Human cardiac progenitor cells (hCPCs) have the potential to repair the damaged myocardium by releasing pro-reparative paracrine signals such as growth factors and exosomes. Although clinical trials involving hCPCs have shown functional improvements, the outcomes have been modest, and suffer from limited cell retention and poor functionality. Injectable cardiac extracellular matrix (cECM) has been beneficial in improving adult heart function post-infarct and has been shown to induce hCPCs towards a regenerative phenotype. The inclusion of hCPCs within a 3D cECM scaffold can allow for improved hCPC retention and reparative potential. To this end, we have developed a bioprinted patch composed of both hCPCs and cECM which, when attached epicardially on the damaged myocardium, will allow for cardiac repair in patients through release of paracrine factors. The patch was generated through 3D bioprinting, which allowed for high degrees of material control and tissue specificity for cardiac repair and regeneration.