title: Experience on endothelial cell adhesion on vascular stents and stent-grafts: first in vitro results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate endothelial cell (EC) attachment on different stents and stent-grafts combined with different coating materials.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three segments (approximately 1cm(2) each) of Cragg-, Memotherm-, Palmaz-, Strecker-, and Wall-stents, uncovered or covered with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyurethane (PU) or polyester (Dacron) were precoated with fibronectin and seeded in vitro under steady conditions with 2 x 10(5) human venous EC/cm(2) for 2 days. EC attachment and morphology was assessed by scanning electron microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Superior EC attachment on uncovered stents was seen on Memotherm-, Palmaz-, and Wall-stent. On uncovered Cragg- and Strecker-stent only a few single and rounded EC could be detected. PTFE-covering lead to an equal or decreased EC coverage in comparison with the uncovered prostheses. An increase in EC coverage on PU-covered stents was seen and on polyester covered stents as compared with uncovered stents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In vitro, EC attachment is clearly different on vascular stents and stent-grafts, probably depending on the material of the stents stent and unknown manufacturing related components. When EC adhesion is desired and stent covering is used, the choice of covering material may influence EC adhesion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital of Radiotherapy, Kiel, Germany. muehue@rad.uni-kiel.de
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Müller-Hülsbeck
authors.forename: Knut P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Walluscheck
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Priebe
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grimm
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cremer
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heller
mesh_terms: D002448:Cell Adhesion; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011091:Polyesters; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011140:Polyurethanes; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015607:Stents; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D011091:Polyesters; D011140:Polyurethanes; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene