Nanoengineering the heart: conductive scaffolds enhance connexin 43 expression.

Scaffolds that couple electrical and elastic properties may be valuable for cardiac cell function. However, existing conductive materials do not mimic physiological properties. We prepared and characterized a tunable, hybrid hydrogel scaffold based on Au nanoparticles homogeneously synthesized throughout a polymer templated gel. Conductive gels had Young's moduli more similar to myocardium relative to polyaniline and polypyrrole, by 1-4 orders of magnitude. Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes exhibited increased expression of connexin 43 on hybrid scaffolds relative to HEMA with or without electrical stimulation.