Regression and persistence: remodelling in a tissue engineered axial vascular assembly.
In later stages of vasculoangiogenesis a vascular network is going through a metamorphosis for optimal perfusion and economy of energy. In this study we make a quantitative approach to phenomena of remodelling in a bioartificial neovascular network and suggest variance of calibre as a parameter of neovascular maturation. For this study, 18 male Lewis rats were subjected to the AV loop operation in combination with a hard porous biogenic matrix and an isolation chamber. The animals were allocated into three groups for different explantation intervals set to 2, 4 and 8 weeks, respectively. Collective attributes like vascular density, percent fractional area and variance of calibre were evaluated for a predefined region of interest (ROI). Late morphogenesis was evaluated by means of scanning electron microscopy. After the fourth week the absolute number of vessels within the ROI decreased (P < 0.03) whereas, on the contrary, the fractional area of all segments increased (P < 0.02). The variance in calibre was significantly increased in the 8-week group (P < 0.05). Lymphatic growth after week 4, early pericyte migration as well as intussusceptive angiogenesis were identified immunohistologically. Phenomena of remodelling were evaluated quantitatively in a neovascular network and variance could be proposed as a parameter of net vascular maturation.
Polykandriotis
E
E
Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, University of Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany. elias.polykandriotis@uk-erlangen.de
Euler
S
S
Arkudas
A
A
Pryymachuk
G
G
Beier
J P
JP
Greil
P
P
Dragu
A
A
Lametschwandtner
A
A
Kneser
U
U
Horch
R E
RE
D000818:Animals; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016319:Corrosion Casting; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D014654:Vascular Patency / Q000502:physiology