title: Rapid vascularization of tissue-engineered vascular grafts in vivo by endothelial cells in co-culture with smooth muscle cells.
abstract: A major challenge facing the development of tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs), promising living replacements for diseased vascular structures, is enhancing angiogenesis. To promote rapid vascularization, endothelial cells (ECs) were co-cultured with smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in decellularized small intestinal submucosa scaffolds to regenerate angiogenic-TEVGs (A-TEVGs). Observation of the A-TEVGs at 1 month post-implantation revealed that a rich network of neocapillaries lining the blood vessel wall had developed; that the ECs of the neovasculatures had been derived from previously seeded ECs and later invading ECs of the host's vascular bed; that tissue vascularization had not significantly impaired mechanical properties; and that the maximal tensile strength of the A-TEVGs was of the same order of magnitude as that of native porcine femoral arteries. These results indicate that of the co-culturing of ECs with SMCs could enhance vascularization of TEVGs in vivo, possibly increasing graft perfusion and host integration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Zhenyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yanzhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Xindi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Huimin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000166:cytology*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D023822:Tissue Engineering