title: Biological characterisation of vascular grafts cultured in a bioreactor.
abstract: In this study, the development is described of a tissue-engineered construct mimicking the structure of a natural blood vessel. Smooth muscle cells (SMC) were cultured under pulsatile flow conditions in porous tubular scaffolds composed of crosslinked type I insoluble collagen and insoluble elastin. Under these dynamic culture conditions, average wall shear rate, systolic and diastolic pressures and pressure wave-forms comparable to conditions in the human carotid artery were obtained. Culturing of SMC in tubular scaffolds under dynamic conditions resulted in enhanced tissue formation compared to static conditions. Higher SMC numbers, a more homogeneous distribution of SMC throughout the scaffolds and higher collagen mRNA expression levels were found when cells were cultured under dynamic compared to static conditions. mRNA expression levels of markers of proliferation and apoptosis showed that the higher cell numbers in the scaffolds cultured under dynamic conditions can be explained by increased cell proliferation but not by decreased apoptosis. Glucose consumption and lactate formation by the cells showed that cell metabolism was more aerobic under dynamic compared to static conditions. Lining of the dynamically cultured constructs with a luminal monolayer of endothelial cells might result in vessels suitable for in vivo applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials, Faculty of Science and Technology and Institute for Biomedical Technology (BMTI), University of Twente, Enschede, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Engbers-Buijtenhuijs
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Buttafoco
authors.forename: Andre A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Poot
authors.forename: Piet J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Dijkstra
authors.forename: Rob A I
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: de Vos
authors.forename: Lotus M Th
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Sterk
authors.forename: Rob H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Geelkerken
authors.forename: Istvan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vermes
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feijen
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D019149:Bioreactors; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000235:genetics; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D019927:Cyclin E / Q000235:genetics; D004549:Elastin / Q000235:genetics; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D000091345:Protein Glutamine gamma Glutamyltransferase 2; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D024042:Collagen Type I; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D019927:Cyclin E; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004549:Elastin; D000091345:Protein Glutamine gamma Glutamyltransferase 2; D011503:Transglutaminases; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins