Bioengineering artificial blood vessels from natural materials. Issue 6 (June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Moore, Matthew J.; Tan, Richard P.; Yang, Nianji; Rnjak-Kovacina, Jelena; Wise, Steven G.
• Is Part Of: Trends in biotechnology. Volume 40:Issue 6(2022)
• Page Start: 693
• Page End: 707
• Publication Date: 2022-06
• Subjects: vascular graft -- blood vessels -- cardiovascular disease -- remodeling -- translation; Biotechnology -- Periodicals; Biochemical engineering -- Periodicals; Genetic engineering -- Periodicals; Industrial microbiology -- Periodicals; 660.605
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2021.11.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0167-7799

Abstract

Abstract : Bioengineering an effective, small diameter (<6 mm) artificial vascular graft for use in bypass surgery when autologous grafts are unavailable remains a persistent challenge. Commercially available grafts are typically made from plastics, which have high strength but lack elasticity and present a foreign surface that triggers undesirable biological responses. Tissue engineered grafts, leveraging decellularized animal vessels or derived de novo from long-term cell culture, have dominated recent research, but failed to meet clinical expectations. More effective constructs that are readily translatable are urgently needed. Recent advances in natural materials have made the production of robust acellular conduits feasible and their use increasingly attractive. Here, we identify a subset of natural materials with potential to generate durable, small diameter vascular grafts. Highlights: Commercial synthetic vascular grafts are made from strong, stiff, chemically inert polymers. The properties of these materials are unsuited to the human vasculature, leading them to rapidly fail in low diameter (<6 mm) applications. Natural biomaterials have inherent advantages that make them good candidates for incorporation into the next generation of grafts, including enhanced biological signaling and tunable mechanical properties. Classical barriers to the wider adoption of natural materials include inadequate strength for vascular applications, rapid degradation, overly complex designs, and difficulty in translation out of a lab setting. Advances in manufacturing, material source, and postprocessing have renewed the promise of natural materials, including silk, collagen, elastin, chitosan, and cellulose, to meet the challenges of developing effective artificial small diameter grafts.