Biomaterials for stem cell culture and seeding for the generation and delivery of cardiac myocytes.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Present an overview of last year's advances in stem cell delivery for cardiac tissue engineering. RECENT FINDINGS: Several promising novel biomaterial platforms to improve myocardial tissue repair/regeneration and local neovascularization using cellular therapy have been developed. SUMMARY: Still today, a clear statement on cellular therapy efficacy cannot be made but nonetheless, as we describe in this review, several improved in-vivo applications have already been initiated. The newest tissue engineering platforms have basically two main objectives: to improve low cell engraftment and viability into the hostile environment of the infarcted tissue; and to promote neoformation of functional myocardial tissue. With the idea to solve these issues many groups are presently working on the association of stem cells with novel biomaterials, providing an initial appropriate microenvironment (scaffold) for successful cell transplantation, proper differentiation and improved cardiac function.