（1）Journal Source: Science Advances

（2）Title: Electroactive Piezoelectric Microneedle Patch Loaded with Stem Cells for Myocardial Infarction Repair

（3）Research Rationale: Myocardial necrosis arises from ischemia and hypoxia after myocardial infarction. Conventional reperfusion hardly enables true myocardial regeneration, often followed by inflammation, fibrotic scarring and ventricular remodeling that eventually impair cardiac contractility. Although stem cell infusion holds repair potential, administered stem cells rarely persist locally in the heart and exhibit insufficient crosstalk with native cardiomyocytes. To address this limitation, researchers from Zhejiang University engineered an implantable electroactive microneedle patch. Fabricated from piezoelectric polylactic acid via 3D printing, it delivers mild electrical stimulation to cardiomyocytes under noninvasive ultrasound. The patch cavity accommodates around 1.5 × 10⁵ bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, while microchannels on microneedles enable efficient exchange of stem-cell-derived reparative factors with surrounding myocardium.

（4）Material Development: Materials: 3D-printed piezoelectric polylactic acid microneedle patch with cell-storage cavities and microchannels, loaded with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Functions: Ultrasound-triggered piezoelectric effect generates localized weak electrical stimulation; the microneedle structure prolongs stem cell retention in the infarct region and sustains paracrine signaling. Piezoelectric stimulation upregulates reparative factors including VEGFA, HGF and IGF-1, activates pro-survival PI3K/Akt signaling, attenuates cardiomyocyte apoptosis, promotes angiogenesis, mitigates inflammation and fibrosis, and restrains adverse ventricular remodeling.

（5）Highlights: An ultrasound-controllable piezoelectric microneedle platform is established to overcome poor retention and transient paracrine activity of freely injected stem cells in infarcted myocardium. Piezoelectric electrical stimulation boosts the secretory profile of stem cells and activates the PI3K/Akt pro-survival cascade to suppress cardiomyocyte apoptosis and remodel the infarct microenvironment. The combined regimen of stem-cell-laden electroactive patch plus ultrasound outperforms free stem cell injection or passive materials in rat MI models, reducing inflammatory monocytes and fibrosis, preserving viable myocardium and improving cardiac contractile function, offering a new strategy for post-infarction myocardial regeneration.

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