Vascular Remodeling Process of Heparin-Conjugated Poly(epsilon-Caprolactone) Scaffold in a Rat Abdominal Aorta Replacement Model

摘要

In the field of vascular graft research, poly-epsilon-caprolactone ( PCL) is used owing to its good mechanical strength and bio-compatibility. In this study, PCL scaffold was prepared by electrospinning and surface modification with heparin via hexamethylenediamine. Then the scaffolds were implanted into the infrarenal abdominal aorta of Wistar rats and contrast-enhanced micro-ultrasound was used to monitor the patency of grafts after implantation. These grafts were extracted from the rats at 1, 3, and 6 months for histological analysis, immunofluorescence staining, and scanning electron microscopy observation. Although some grafts experienced aneurysmal change, results showed that all implanted grafts were patent during the course of 6 months and these grafts demonstrated well-organized neotissue with endothelium formation, smooth muscle regeneration, and extracellular matrix formation. Such findings confirm feasibility to create heparin-conjugated scaffolds of next-generation vascular grafts. (C) 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.