Application of Chitosan-Based Biomaterials for Blood Vessel Regeneration

Vascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the western world. Autologous vessels remain the standard for coronary grafting and peripheral bypass surgery; however, their availability in patients can be limited. Therapeutic angiogenesis using growth factors, genes, or progenitor cells has been given considerable scientific attention over the last decade, but has not yet provided a definitive clinical benefit. Biomaterials could be developed to protect protein, DNA and cells against hostile conditions. Chitosan, a natural polymer of glucosamine and N-acetyl glucosamine, has been widely studied in tissue engineering due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and muco-adhesive and antimicrobial properties. Notably, the application of chitosan has been gaining attention in the vascular field due to its structural similarity to glycosaminoglycans, which are components of a tissue's extracellular matrix. In this review, chitosan-based materials, and their use in tissue engineered blood vessels, and as protein, gene and cell vectors for angiogenic therapy are discussed.