Development of Bioactive Patch for Maintenance of Implanted Cells at the Myocardial Infarcted Site

Figure 6

Sequential steps in cardiac differentiation in vitro from pluripotent stem cells to functional cardiomyocytes [70]. Cardiac development starts with the commitment of undifferentiated pluripotent stem cells of the inner cell mass of blastocysts to mesodermal restricted derivatives during embryonic development. Typical markers and characteristics for the different cell types are indicated. Structural and functional maturation is not well understood. Maturation might be provoked by hormones, electrical and mechanical stimulation, and organization in 3D engineered heart tissues (EHTs).