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Updated: Jul 2, 2026
Engineering Biological-Based Vascular Grafts Using a Pulsatile Bioreactor
Published on: June 14, 2011
[Constructing of smooth muscle layers of tissue engineered blood vessel in a bioreactor]
Zhi-Cheng Xu1, Hong Li, Guang-Dong Zhou
1Shanghai Tissue Engineering Research and Development Center, Shanghai Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China.
Objective:
To investigate the feasibility of in vitro constructing tissue engineered blood vessels in bioreactor.
Methods:
Cell-PGA (polyglycolic acid) complex was constructed by seeding smooth muscle cells isolated from canine carotid artery on PGA unwoven fibers. The cell-PGA complex was cultured in a bioreactor (pulse rate = 75/min, radical distension < 5%). After three or six weeks in vitro culture, engineered tissues were harvested and tested.
Results:
Grossly,the experimental groups showed a tubular structure with a round lumen and good elasticity. Histological staining revealed smooth muscle fibers layers and dense elastic fibers presented in the engineered vessel wall. Bands of smooth muscle fibers and continuous endothelial cells layer were detected by the immuno-histological staining. In contrast, the control group took on poor elasticity, collapsed lumen and pale surface in the gross observation. In addition, its arrangement of smooth muscle fibers and elastic fibers was random and disorganized by histological observation, which was also confirmed by the immunohistological staining. The structure of 6 weeks TEBVs was more mature than that of 3 weeks and the biomechanical property of dynamic ones was as much as 60% of the normal one.
Conclusions:
Blood vessel with good elasticity can be constructed in a bioreactor by tissue engineering approach.
