Comparison of Natural and Synthetic Biomaterials in Their Ability to Restore Damaged Cardiac Tissue

Cardiac tissue damage from cardiovascular diseases is one of the most pressing issues in modern medicine due to the heart's limited ability to heal itself. Both natural and synthetic biomaterials have demonstrated promise in the regeneration of cardiac tissue. They must have five key properties— biocompatibility, biodegradability, mechanical characteristics, structural properties, and electrical characteristics—to properly restore this damaged tissue. Chitin and chitosan, cellulose, and hyaluronic acid are examples of natural biomaterials, which may be preferred due to their excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility with human cardiac tissue. Poly-vinyl alcohol, polyglycolic acid, and polyurethane are examples of synthetic biomaterials, which may be preferred due to their high customizability. Overall, due to the fulfillment of more desired characteristics of biomaterials used in cardiac tissue regeneration, natural biomaterials are preferred over synthetic biomaterials. However, insight to future research suggests that a combination of both, forming a hybrid biomaterial, may be the best solution.