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Nondestructive Monitoring of Degradable Scaffold-Based Tissue-Engineered Blood Vessel Development Using Optical Coherence Tomography
Published on: October 3, 2018
Development of novel biodegradable polymer scaffolds for vascular tissue engineering
Liqiong Gui1, Liping Zhao, Randal W Spencer
1Department of Anesthesiology and the Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Tissue Engineering. Part A
|December 15, 2010
Summary
Faster degrading polymers improve engineered blood vessel mechanics by reducing inflammatory responses and scaffold remnants. This tissue engineering approach enhances collagen production and overall tissue quality.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Biodegradable scaffolds like polyglycolic acid (PGA) are used in tissue engineering.
- Persistence of synthetic polymer remnants can impair engineered tissue function and cause inflammation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate novel polymeric materials with varying degradation profiles for constructing collagen-rich tissues, specifically engineered blood vessels.
- To compare degradation characteristics, cell interactions, and effects on engineered vessel mechanics.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized three polymers (Polymer I, II, III) with different compositions and degradation profiles.
- Assessed polymer degradation in aqueous conditions at 37°C.
- Evaluated cell adhesion, proliferation, collagen synthesis, and engineered vessel mechanics for each polymer compared to PGA.
Main Results:
- Polymer III exhibited more extensive degradation than PGA.
- All polymers supported cell proliferation.
- Polymer III enhanced collagen production and engineered vessel mechanics.
- Slower degrading polymers correlated with poorer vessel mechanics.
Conclusions:
- Polymers that degrade more rapidly during tissue culture lead to improved engineered tissue mechanics.
- Faster degradation minimizes disruption of the collagenous extracellular matrix, enhancing overall tissue quality.
