Development and validation of a collagen-based scaffold for vascular tissue engineering

by Habermehl, Jason

Tissue engineering provides insight into solving the organ shortage. This is especially the case for small diameter vascular substitutes, with which a shortage is due in part to the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in the industrialized world. For this, in our opinion, one of the most appropriate approaches involves using a structure to guide the cells during the regeneration phase. Collagen has many characteristics that make it suitable as a scaffold material for vascular tissue engineering. Two slightly different methods for extracting and processing collagen type I from rat tail were compared with respect to the molecular structure of the collagen molecule, the mechanical properties of thin films obtained from solvent evaporation and preliminary cellular viability with fibroblasts seeded on these same collagen films. One of the above methods was chosen and this collagen was then characterized with respect to cellular viability with smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells and also with blood contact assays. A method for producing three-dimensional gels seeded with vascular cells was developed. Cell distribution and viability, preliminary compliance testing and blood contact assays were performed on these gels. This project has provided the basis for further studies in order to maximize cell functionality and the structural properties required for implantation of collagen-gel-based vascular grafts.