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A Robust Method to Generate Mechanically Anisotropic Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Sheets for Vascular Tissue
Daniel E Backman1, Bauer L LeSavage1, Shivem B Shah1
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
Macromolecular Bioscience
|February 17, 2017
Summary
This study created a novel thermoresponsive platform to grow aligned vascular smooth muscle cell sheets. This approach enhances vascular graft engineering by mimicking native arterial tissue properties.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Mimicking native arterial tissue structure and mechanics is vital in arterial tissue engineering to prevent graft failure.
- Bottom-up approaches require precise control over microscale mechanical properties for macroscale implant function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a thermoresponsive cell culture platform for aligned vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) sheet fabrication.
- To optimize the platform for enhanced VSMC attachment, long-term culture, and rapid sheet formation.
Main Methods:
- Photografting N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) onto micropatterned poly(dimethysiloxane) (PDMS) substrates.
- Experimental and computational optimization of the grafting process.
- Surface modification with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane for enhanced cell culture.
Main Results:
- Developed PNIPAAm-PDMS substrates that promote VSMC attachment and alignment.
- Cultured VSMC sheets exhibited cellular and collagen alignment along micropatterns.
- Aligned VSMC sheets demonstrated increased stiffness in the direction of alignment, creating mechanical anisotropy.
Conclusions:
- The thermoresponsive platform effectively produces aligned VSMC sheets with anisotropic mechanical properties.
- This platform serves as a promising building block for vascular grafts that replicate native arterial tissue mechanics.
- Achieving structural and mechanical anisotropy is key for successful vascular graft engineering.
