A recent article in Biomaterials looking at synthetic heart valves has been chosen as Editor's choice article in Science Translational Medicine magazine.
The synthetic valves were designed from slowly degrading polymer enable gradual replacement by new host tissue during a 12-month study in sheep.
In the article, Kluin et al propose and demonstrate proof-of-concept of in situ heart valve tissue engineering using a synthetic approach, in which a cell-free, slow degrading elastomeric valvular implant is populated by endogenous cells to form new valvular tissue inside the heart.
Biomaterials 125, 2017, Pages 101–117.