A Novel Biodegradable Multilayered Bioengineered Vascular Construct with a Curved Structure and Multi-Branches.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Cardiovascular Research

Background:

• Tissue engineered vascular grafts (TEVG) are crucial for cardiovascular research.
• Existing fabrication methods struggle to replicate the complex, curved, and branched structures of native vasculature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel fabrication technique for multilayered, biodegradable TEVGs with curved and multi-branched architectures.
• To create vessel-mimicking constructs with customizable structural parameters that more closely resemble native 3D geometries.

Main Methods:

• Combined 3D printed molds with hydrogel casting and sacrificial materials.
• Utilized enzymatically-crosslinked gelatin as the construct material.
• Evaluated mechanical properties, thermostability, and performed fluid-structure interaction simulations.

Main Results:

• Fabricated TEVGs with independently controllable diameter and wall thickness.
• Demonstrated the ability to create native-like 3D geometries, including bifurcated and curved structures.
• Assessed construct biocompatibility through human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) culture, observing favorable cell morphology.

Conclusions:

• The proposed technique offers a feasible and promising approach for TEVG construction.
• This method has significant potential for creating integrated vasculature for tissue engineering applications.
• The developed technique advances the fabrication of complex vascular structures for regenerative medicine.