Pore-Cast Scaffold for Vascular Tissue Engineering

Transplantation of engineered vascular grafts has emerged as a potential therapeutic solution for cardiovascular disease treatment. Although engineered vascular grafts hold the potential to satisfy a large clinical need, thrombosis remains a major risk with the small-diameter grafts (<5 mm). Currently, electrospinning is considered the gold standard for scaffold construction. However, poorly controlled pore dimensions allow the migration of endothelial cells (EC) into the scaffold through large gaps, making it difficult to achieve a uniform monolayer. The aim of this study is to design and construct a thin, porous, non-thrombogenic film as a scaffold for vascular grafts. Pore dimensions will be controlled by using a casting technique, thereby reducing the problem of cell migration into the scaffold. A confluent EC monolayer can then act as a barrier preventing blood-scaffold interaction, which will reduce the risk of thrombogenesis when implanted in vivo.