Human tissue-engineered blood vessels for adult arterial revascularization.
There is a crucial need for alternatives to native vein or artery for vascular surgery. The clinical efficacy of synthetic, allogeneic or xenogeneic vessels has been limited by thrombosis, rejection, chronic inflammation and poor mechanical properties. Using adult human fibroblasts extracted from skin biopsies harvested from individuals with advanced cardiovascular disease, we constructed tissue-engineered blood vessels (TEBVs) that serve as arterial bypass grafts in long-term animal models. These TEBVs have mechanical properties similar to human blood vessels, without relying upon synthetic or exogenous scaffolding. The TEBVs are antithrombogenic and mechanically stable for 8 months in vivo. Histological analysis showed complete tissue integration and formation of vasa vasorum. The endothelium was confluent and positive for von Willebrand factor. A smooth muscle-specific alpha-actin-positive cell population developed within the TEBV, suggesting regeneration of a vascular media. Electron microscopy showed an endothelial basement membrane, elastogenesis and a complex collagen network. These results indicate that a completely biological and clinically relevant TEBV can be assembled exclusively from an individual's own cells.
L'Heureux
Nicolas
N
Cytograft Tissue Engineering, Inc., 3 Hamilton Landing, Suite 220, Novato, California 94949, USA. nico@cytograft.com
Dusserre
Nathalie
N
Konig
Gerhardt
G
Victor
Braden
B
Keire
Paul
P
Wight
Thomas N
TN
Chronos
Nicolas A F
NA
Kyles
Andrew E
AE
Gregory
Clare R
CR
Hoyt
Grant
G
Robbins
Robert C
RC
McAllister
Todd N
TN
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries / Q000254:growth & development*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000637:transplantation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004285:Dogs; D006801:Humans; D011323:Primates; D051381:Rats; D011923:Rats, Nude; D013997:Time Factors; D023822:Tissue Engineering