For cardiac tissue engineering applications, a variety of strategies are implemented. These include scaffolding-based techniques, which create a structural framework with biomaterial to promote cell adhesion and growth; growing cell layers that self-assemble into tissues without the need for external scaffolds; cell assembly with the help of external cues or autonomic cell organization; matrix decellularization, which removes cellular components from tissues while preserving the extracellular matrix for tissue repair and regeneration; and neo-vascularization, which creates new blood vessels to supply oxygen and nutrients to engineered tissues (Reprinted from [115], Copyright, 2023 El-Husseiny, Mady, El-Dakroury, Doghish and Tanaka. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License [CC BY 4.0]).

Cardiac tissue engineering presents a viable strategy for the targeted therapy of myocardial infarction (MI), overcoming the limitations of existing therapies in cardiac repair and regeneration. This review explores the potential of stimuli-responsive biomaterials that engage with the cardiac environment by reacting to various environmental stimuli including pH, temperature, enzymes, ultrasound, and reactive oxygen species. These materials enable precise drug delivery, modulate cellular responses, and enhance tissue regeneration. Biomaterials such as hydrogels, polymers, chitosan, collagen, and alginate improve the accuracy and effectiveness of targeted and localized delivery of drugs, stem cells, and growth factors, thus improving the precision and efficacy of treatments. The review looks at the ability of these biomaterials to mimic the complex biochemical and mechanical cues of a healthy myocardium. The challenges and prospects of clinical applications for stimuli-responsive biomaterials are discussed, highlighting their transformative potential in targeted cardiac therapy while improving outcomes for patients with MI.

Article Access: https://doi.org/10.1002/mba2.70009

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