Figure 7.

Proposed Bioinductive Mechanism for Bioactive ECM Scaffold Therapy

FGF-2, eluted from the bioactive ECM scaffold, stimulates cardiac fibroblasts to produce a sustained release of vasculogenic growth factors that promote vasculogenesis in the infarcted myocardium. Epicardial placement of the ECM scaffold enhances epicardial progenitor cell activation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which may also contribute to vasculogenesis and recovery of cardiac function. Abbreviations as in Figures 1, 3, and 4.