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Updated: Jun 11, 2025
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Engineering Biological-Based Vascular Grafts Using a Pulsatile Bioreactor
Published on: June 14, 2011
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Perfusion Bioreactor Conditioning of Small-diameter Plant-based Vascular Grafts
Nicole Gorbenko1, John C Vaccaro2, Ryan Fagan1
1Bioengineering Program, Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science, Hofstra University, 229 Science and Innovation Center, Hempstead, NY, 11549, USA.
Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
|October 1, 2024
Summary
Decellularized plant-based vascular grafts preconditioned with physiological flow and pressure show reduced thrombus formation and improved cell density. This study highlights the potential of plant scaffolds for effective vascular repair.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Cardiovascular Research
Background:
- Synthetic vascular grafts face challenges like thrombosis and intimal hyperplasia, especially at small diameters.
- Decellularized plant scaffolds offer biocompatible and cost-effective alternatives for tissue engineering.
- Leatherleaf viburnum has been developed into robust, endothelialized small-diameter vascular grafts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To precondition and analyze plant-based vascular grafts under physiological fluid flow and pressure waveforms.
- To evaluate the impact of hemodynamic forces on graft performance for potential implantation.
- To investigate novel conditioning methods for plant-derived tissue-engineered grafts.
Main Methods:
- A novel perfusion bioreactor was designed to control physiological fluid flow (5 mL/min) and pressure waveforms (50-120 mmHg at 8.75 Hz).
- Plant-based vascular grafts were recellularized with endothelial and smooth muscle cells and cultured for 3 weeks.
- Graft evaluation included cell density, scaffold mechanics, thrombogenicity, and immunogenicity.
Main Results:
- Bioreactor treatment with fluid flow increased luminal endothelial cell density.
- Pressure waveforms reduced thrombus formation and maintained vascular smooth muscle cell viability.
- Grafts met transplantation standards for suture retention and showed suitable white cell viability for remodeling.
Conclusions:
- Endothelialized leatherleaf viburnum exhibits low thrombogenicity, indicating significant potential for vascular repair.
- Conditioning plant-based materials with high-frequency hemodynamic forces offers benefits not previously explored.
- This research supports the use of plant-derived scaffolds in tissue engineering for cardiovascular applications.
