title: Tissue engineering of vascular grafts: human cell seeding of decellularised porcine matrix.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a biocompatible and mechanically stable vascular graft combining human cells and a xenogenic acellular matrix. DESIGN/MATERIALS: Decellularised matrix tubes were obtained by enzymatic cell extraction of native porcine aortas. Endothelial cells and myofibroblasts were isolated from human saphenous veins and grown in cell cultures. The inner surface of the tubes was seeded with endothelial cells or myofibroblasts and exposed to pulsatile flow.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After cell extraction, the absence of cellular components, as well as the maintenance of matrix integrity, was demonstrated by means of light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, the porcine matrix was successfully seeded with human endothelial cells, which grew to a monolayer under flow conditions. Stable biomechanical properties were achieved at physiological perfusion pressures in vitro.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cellular components can be extracted from native porcine blood vessels. Vascular grafts can be generated in vitro of animal acellular matrix and human cells.
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Research Laboratories for Biotechnology and Artificial Organs, LEBAO, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: O E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Teebken
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bader
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Steinhoff
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haverich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000166:cytology; D001698:Biomedical Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D017690:Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000637:transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D011474:Prosthesis Design / Q000379:methods; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000166:cytology; D013552:Swine; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous