Tissue-engineered graft constructed by self-derived cells and heterogeneous acellular matrix

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine
• Vascular Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Tissue-engineered grafts offer a promising alternative to traditional vascular prosthetics.
• Developing functional vascular grafts requires appropriate cell sources and scaffolds.
• Heterogeneous acellularized matrices provide a structural foundation for tissue regeneration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To construct a tissue-engineered vascular graft using autologous cells and a decellularized matrix.
• To evaluate the feasibility of using cultured piglet endothelial and smooth muscle cells for graft construction.
• To assess the in vivo performance of the engineered graft in a preclinical model.

Main Methods:

• Endothelial and smooth muscle cells were isolated, cultured, and expanded from a piglet donor.
• A heterogeneous acellularized matrix scaffold was prepared from a sheep thoracic aorta.
• The cultured cells were seeded onto the scaffold, followed by in vitro incubation and subsequent transplantation into a piglet pulmonary artery model.

Main Results:

• Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the identity of the cultured endothelial and smooth muscle cells.
• The decellularized aortic matrix retained its structural integrity with preserved elastic and collagen fibers.
• Post-transplantation evaluation at three months revealed a smooth graft surface, absence of thrombosis and calcification, and evidence of cellular infiltration and matrix remodeling.

Conclusions:

• Cultured autologous endothelial and smooth muscle cells are suitable seeding cells for tissue-engineered grafts.
• Heterogeneous acellularized matrices can serve as effective scaffolds for vascular tissue engineering.
• This approach demonstrates potential for constructing functional vascular grafts for arterial reconstruction.