title: The decellularized vascular allograft as an experimental platform for developing a biocompatible small-diameter graft conduit in a rat surgical model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was aimed to assess the feasibility of using decellularized aortic allograft in a rat small animal surgical model for conducting small diameter vascular tissue engineering research.
  
  
  METHODS
  Decellularized aortic allografts were infra-renally implanted in 12 Sprague-Dawley (SD) adult rats. The conduits were harvested at 2 (n = 6) and 8 weeks (n = 6), and assessed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), van Gieson, Masson Trichrome staining, and immunohistochemistry for von Willebrand factor, CD 31(+), and actin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consistent, predictable, and reproducible results were produced by means of a standardized surgical procedure. All animals survived without major complications. Inflammatory immune reaction was minimal, and there was no evidence of aneurysmal degeneration or rupture of the decellularized vascular implants. However, the aortic wall appeared thinner and the elastic fibers in the medial layer showed decreased undulation compared to the normal aorta. There was also minimal cellular repopulation of the vascular media. The remodeling appeared progressive from 2 to 8 weeks with increased intimal thickening and accumulation of both collagen and cells staining for actin. Although the endothelial like cells appeared largely confluent at 8 weeks, they were not as concentrated in appearance as in the normal aorta.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed the present rat animal model using decellularized vascular allograft implants to be a potentially durable and effective experimental platform for conducting further research on small diameter vascular tissue engineering.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 86 Asanbyeongwon-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Seong Who
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Suk Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Choo
authors.forename: Byoung Wook
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: I-rang
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Im
authors.forename: Hye Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Sang Kwon
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Won Chul
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Jae Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000601:surgery*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials