Biomaterial Characterization of Decellularized Human Amniotic Membrane Seeded with Fetal Human Cardiac Fibroblasts for Cardiac Tissue Engineering

The human amniotic membrane (hAM) is a promising biomaterial in cardiac tissue engineering known for excellent viability, anti-inflammatory properties, and ability to support cellular adhesion. Its potential as a biomaterial, particularly after decellularization, offers a novel approach for myocardial regeneration in conditions such as cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the ultrastructure of fetal human cardiac fibroblasts-decellularized hAM (fHCFs-dehAM) using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), identify the functional groups of dehAM through fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, assess vimentin expression in fHCFs-dehAM via immunocytochemistry, and evaluate fHCF cell proliferation to determine cell viability on dehAM. In the process, hAM was successfully decellularized using 0.2% (w/v) trypsin/0.25% (w/v) ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), confirmed by the removal of the native epithelial layer through hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining and ultrastructural analysis. The results showed that fHCFs adhered to the basement membrane of the dehAM and retained the phenotype, as evidenced by the expression of the intermediate filament marker vimentin via immunofluorescence staining. Furthermore, the viability of fibroblasts cultured on dehAM increased in a time-dependent manner, indicating enhanced proliferation. This is a novel study on the viability of hwith human cardiac resident cells. The result shows the potential of dehAM for biomaterial application in cardiac tissue engineering.

Cardiac fibroblasts; cardiac tissue engineering; cell viability; decellularization; human amniotic membrane.

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