Fabrication of tissue-engineered vascular grafts with stem cells and stem cell-derived vascular cells

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Current surgical treatments for cardiovascular disease include vascular bypass grafting and replacement with autologous blood vessels or synthetic vascular grafts. However, there is a call for better alternative biological grafts.

Tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) are promising novel alternatives to replace diseased vessels. However, obtaining enough functional and clinically usable vascular cells for fabrication of TEVGs remains a major challenge. New findings in adult stem cells and recent advances in pluripotent stem cells have opened a new avenue for stem cell-based vascular engineering. In this review, recent advances on stem cell sourcing for TEVGs including the use of adult stem cells and pluripotent stem cells and advantages, disadvantages, and possible future implementations of different types of stem cells will be discussed. In addition, current strategies used during the fabrication of TEVGs will be highlighted.

The application of patient-specific TEVGs constructed with vascular cells derived from immune-compatible stem cells possesses huge clinical potential. Advances in lineage-specific differentiation approaches and innovative vascular engineering strategies will promote the vascular regeneration field from bench to bedside.