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.