Endothelial cell seeding kinetics under chronic flow in prosthetic grafts

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Vascular Surgery
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Endothelial cell-seeded grafts require robust initial adherence and retention for improved patency.
• Evaluating commercial prostheses for effective endothelial cell seeding is crucial for clinical success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the suitability of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), Gelseal, and Hemashield grafts for human adult endothelial cell (HAEC) seeding.
• To quantify the impact of fibronectin (FN) coating on HAEC adherence and retention on these grafts under simulated arterial blood flow.

Main Methods:

• Indium-111 oxine labeled HAECs were used to measure adherence to plain and FN-coated ePTFE, Gelseal, and Hemashield grafts.
• Cell retention was quantified over 24 hours in a pulsatile flow model simulating human arterial conditions (200 ml/min).
• Scanning electron microscopy confirmed cell retention qualitatively.

Main Results:

• FN coating significantly enhanced initial HAEC adherence to all tested grafts compared to plain surfaces.
• Dacron grafts (Gelseal and Hemashield) showed better initial adherence than ePTFE, especially when FN-coated.
• After 24 hours of simulated flow, FN-coated Hemashield grafts exhibited the highest cell retention (65%), followed by FN-coated Gelseal (25%) and FN-coated ePTFE (16%).

Conclusions:

• Fibronectin coating is essential for improving endothelial cell seeding on vascular grafts.
• Dacron-based grafts, particularly Hemashield, offer superior cell retention compared to ePTFE when coated with fibronectin.
• These findings support the use of FN-coated Hemashield grafts for enhanced vascular reconstruction.