Recent optimization of a tissue engineered blood vessel: the LOEX experience

摘要

Creating a blood vessel by tissue engineering is one of the most demanding goals in tissue engineering. Out laboratory developed, using the self-assembly approach, the first completely biological tissue engineered blood vessel (TEBV) constituted of living human cells in the absence of any synthetic or exogenous material. The phenotypic and functional variations of smooth muscle cell (SMC) are of paramount importance in TEBV reconstruction. Thus, the phenotype and extracellular matrix (ECM) production of SMC were studied along the whole sequence of TEBV production. The functional and mechanical properties can be greatly enhanced by active cell orientation in the ECM Accordingly, the method of preparing living tissue engineered sheets was modified to obtain an optimal alignment of SMC before rolling them into a tubular form.These results have allowed us to create a better TEBV.