title: In vivo tissue engineering: mimicry of homing factors for self-endothelialization of blood-contacting materials.
abstract: Thrombogenicity of foreign surfaces is the major obstacle in cardiovascular interventions. Despite enormous advances in biomaterials research, the hemocompatibility of blood-contacting materials is still not satisfactory and the native endothelium still represents the ideal surface for blood contact. Circulating adult endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in the human blood provide an excellent source of autologous stem cells for the in vivo self-endothelialization of blood-contacting materials. For this purpose, material surfaces can be coated with capture molecules mimicking natural homing factors to attract circulating EPCs. Hitherto, several ligands, such as aptamers, monoclonal antibodies, peptides, selectins and their ligands, or magnetic molecules, are used to biofunctionalize surfaces for the capturing of EPCs directly from patient's bloodstream onto blood-contacting materials. Subsequently, attracted EPCs can differentiate into endothelial cells and generate an autologous endothelium. The in vivo self-endothelialization of blood-contacting materials prevents the recognition of them as a foreign body; this opens up revolutionary new prospects for future clinical stem-cell and tissue engineering strategies.
authors: Clinical Research Laboratory, Department of Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors: Meltem
authors: M
authors: Avci-Adali
authors: Heidi
authors: H
authors: Stoll
authors: Nadja
authors: N
authors: Wilhelm
authors: Nadja
authors: N
authors: Perle
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Schlensak
authors: Hans P
authors: HP
authors: Wendel
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D040761:Biomimetic Materials; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D015607:Stents; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D010455:Peptides