Table 2.
Comparison of the techniques to obtain a porous substrate suitable to cultivate cardiomyocytes.
| Techniques | Self-assembly | Freeze casting | Porogen agent | 3D printing | Needles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size of the pores | 100 nm–10 μm | Tunable (>10–100 μm) | Depends on the porogen agent (>100 μm) | Size of the printing head (>100 μm) | Size of the needles (>100 μm) |
| Geometry | Not controlled | Pores formed by ice crystals | Crystal shape | Channels | Channels |
| Interconnectivity | Not controlled | Not controlled | Not controlled | Controlled | Not controlled |
| Position in the material | Not controlled | Not controlled | Not controlled | Controlled | Controlled |
| Easy to handle | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Nutrient diffusion | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cardiomyocytes organotypic growth | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Easy to perfuse/vascularize | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| References | [[149], [150], [151]] | [153] | [160] | [62,100] | [161] |