An in vitro bovine pericardial hemocompatibility testing system

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Research

Background:

• Bovine pericardium is a common biomaterial for heart valves, used since the 1960s.
• Cross-linking agents like glutaraldehyde are used to improve durability and reduce immune response.
• Evaluating improvements in bovine pericardial valve performance requires reliable in vitro test systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and validate an in vitro test system for evaluating pericardial tissue hemocompatibility.
• To assess the effects of glutaraldehyde fixation on blood-tissue interactions.

Main Methods:

• Non-fixed and glutaraldehyde-fixed (GA) bovine pericardial tissues were exposed to whole blood.
• Analyzed plasma for kallikrein activation and platelet factor 4 (PF4) release.
• Assessed tissue for fibrinogen binding and cellular response using scanning electron microscopy.

Main Results:

• Established optimal conditions for the in vitro test system, including a 60-minute blood exposure time.
• Non-fixed tissue showed greater kallikrein activation and PF4 release.
• GA-treated tissue exhibited higher fibrinogen binding and a different cellular response pattern.

Conclusions:

• The developed non-static in vitro system shows promise for routine hemocompatibility testing of blood-contacting biomaterials.
• Glutaraldehyde fixation significantly alters the hemocompatibility profile of bovine pericardium.