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Scaffold-free, Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Tissue Engineered Blood Vessels
Youngmee Jung1, HaYeun Ji2,3, Zaozao Chen2,3
1Center for Biomaterials, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 130-650, Korea.
Scientific Reports
|October 13, 2015
Summary
This study developed a scaffold-free tissue-engineered blood vessel using human cell sheets. The resulting vascular graft demonstrated promising mechanical properties and biological functions for potential drug screening applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- Tissue-engineered blood vessels (TEBVs) are crucial for vascular grafts and organs-on-a-chip.
- Current TEBV construction relies on biomaterial scaffolds.
- Scaffold-free approaches may offer advantages for TEBV development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To construct and evaluate a scaffold-free TEBV using aligned human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) sheets and human endothelial progenitor cell (hEPC) coating.
- To assess the mechanical strength, structural integrity, and biological functionality of the developed TEBV.
- To determine the potential of this TEBV for drug screening applications.
Main Methods:
- Constructed a tubular scaffold-free TEBV (1 mm i.d.) with an hMSC layer and hEPC lumen coating.
- Cultured the TEBV using sequential culture in a rotating wall bioreactor and perfusion system.
- Evaluated burst pressure, histological structure, extracellular matrix (ECM) formation, and endothelial function (vasoreactivity, nitric oxide release, HL-60 cell adhesion).
Main Results:
- The scaffold-free TEBV achieved a burst pressure >200 mmHg after three weeks of culture.
- Histological analysis revealed interwoven cell layers and extensive ECM, mimicking native blood vessels.
- The TEBV demonstrated flow-mediated vasodilation, vasoconstriction, nitric oxide release, and functional endothelium supporting HL-60 cell adhesion.
Conclusions:
- Scaffold-free TEBVs constructed from hMSC sheets and hEPCs exhibit robust mechanical and biological properties.
- The developed TEBV closely resembles native blood vessel structure and function.
- This hEPC-endothelialized hMSC-based TEBV shows significant potential for drug screening assays.
