2.

Potential mechanisms of action of engineered functionalized myocardium. Following a myocardial infarction a progressive decrease in the regenerative capacity of cardiac and mobilized stem cells together with a parallel shifting towards fibrosis is seen. Artificial functionalized myocardial patches could provide both a mean for mechanical restraint and prevention of ventricular dilation. At the same time they could generate an environment to maintain the proliferative capacity of the cells surrounding the infarcted area providing a molecular pathway to promote cell differentiation.