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Updated: Aug 15, 2026
Stepwise Cell Seeding on Tessellated Scaffolds to Study Sprouting Blood Vessels
Published on: January 14, 2021
[Primary experimental study on the construction of tissue engineering blood vessel]
Bing Chen1, Bai-gen Zhang, Jian Zhang
1Department of Vascular Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Institute of Vascular Surgery, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China.
Objective:
To explore the primary experimental methods to construct tissue engineering blood vessel.
Methods:
Using the collagen-chitosan to prefabricate the scaffolds with 3-dimensional structure, the proliferated human endothelial cells (ECs), smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and fibroblasts act as the seed cells. The cells were seeded to scaffolds in two-step method, and engineering tissue were matured by static culture or bioreactor culture. Extracellular matrix contents and the platelet aggregation were examined in engineering tissue, tissue engineering blood vessels were taken as patches to repair the man-made defaults on the rats aorta.
Results:
The proliferated human ECs, SMCs and fibroblast can hold activity and act as seed cells. The prefabricated scaffolds, with excellently cell and tissue biocompatibility, can facilitated cells adherence and upgrowth, the cells quantities and extracellular matrix contents in engineered tissue are time dependent increase (P < 0.05). Platelet aggregation tests confirm the tissue engineering blood vessel have some anti-coagulability. Using the engineering tissue patch to repair the default, 6 aortas in 8 animal were patency till 10 days post-operation.
Conclusions:
The seeding cells can be seeded on the 3-dimensional collagen-chitosan scaffolds and matured, the tissue engineering blood vessel can be constructed primarily.
