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Generation and Grafting of Tissue-engineered Vessels in a Mouse Model
Published on: March 18, 2015
Tissue-engineered blood vessels with endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity
Sang Hyun Lim1, Seung-Woo Cho, Jong-Chul Park
1Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 443-749, Korea.
Journal of Biomedical Materials Research. Part B, Applied Biomaterials
|December 14, 2007
Summary
Tissue-engineered vascular grafts using biodegradable scaffolds and autologous bone marrow cells show promise for cardiovascular surgery. These novel grafts demonstrated patency and regenerated functional endothelium with significant nitric oxide synthase activity.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Cardiovascular Surgery
Background:
- Nondegradable synthetic vascular grafts present challenges like thrombosis and calcification.
- Tissue engineering offers a solution using stem cells and biodegradable materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a tissue-engineered vascular graft (TEVG) with functional endothelium.
- Utilize autologous bone marrow-derived cells (BMCs) and a hybrid biodegradable polymer scaffold.
Main Methods:
- Fabricated hybrid scaffolds from poly(lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone) (PLCL) and poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) fibers.
- Differentiated canine BMCs into vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells in vitro.
- Seeded cells onto scaffolds and implanted TEVGs into canine abdominal aortas.
Main Results:
- TEVGs remained patent eight weeks post-implantation.
- Histological analysis revealed regenerated endothelium, smooth muscle, and collagen.
- Western blot confirmed endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression comparable to native aortas.
Conclusions:
- Autologous BMCs and hybrid biodegradable scaffolds can create functional TEVGs.
- TEVGs exhibit significant eNOS activity, crucial for vascular health.
- This approach addresses limitations of current synthetic vascular grafts.
