Myocardial infarction (MI) remains one of the most critical cardiovascular disorders and continues to be the foremost global cause of mortality. Therefore, regenerating damaged cardiac tissue is a key focus in restoring cardiac performance after MI. This study explored the potential of rat adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (r-AdMSCs) combined with decellularized porcine pericardium (DPP) to repair myocardial function in MI-induced rats. MI was produced in four experimental groups: one untreated and three treated with either DPP alone (MI-DPP), stem cells alone (MI-SC), or both (MI-SC/DPP). Cardiac function in all groups, including the Sham group, was assessed via echocardiography and intraventricular pressure gradient (IVPG) at weeks 2 and 4, alongside hemodynamic testing in week 4. On day 31, all animals were euthanized for histopathological evaluation. The echocardiographic, IVPG, and hemodynamic data confirmed that all treatments aided cardiac recovery, though the MI-SC/DPP group exhibited significantly greater functional improvement compared to the other interventions. Histological results revealed that this group had the lowest (p < 0.05) levels of degeneration and fibrosis among all treated sets. Overall, DPP scaffolds seeded with stem cells offer a highly effective platform for stem cell delivery and cardiac regeneration post-MI.
