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[Fabrication of a blood vessel scaffold with a combined polymer for tissue engineering]
Yong Pan1, Wei Huang, Yu-feng Ai
1Department of Plastic Surgery, Institute of Ophthalmology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
Objective:
To investigate the possibility to fabricate a blood vessel scaffold with a combined polymer for tissue engineering.
Methods:
A blood vessel scaffold was designed with a combined polymer composed of rabbit vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs), collagen and a non-spinning fabric mesh of polyglycolic acid (PGA). VSMCs were implanted into collagen gel and their growth was observed. The mixed solution of VSMCs and collagen was dropped into the tubular scaffold, followed by 7-day culturing.
Results:
VSMCs formed many prominences after culturing in gelatinous collagen for 3-4 hours. With cells extending, some cells became shuttle- or spindle-shaped. After VSMCs-collagen complex was implanted into the PGA mesh, most of VSMCs remained in the pore of PGA mesh with the formation of gelation. VSMCs could adhere to and grow on the PGA fiber.
Conclusion:
The non-spinning PGA porous biodegradable material coated with collagen is a good carrier for VSMCs to adhere and grow.