ABBA Lab

Advanced Biomaterials for Biomedical Applications Lab

Journal

Fabrication of strong, bioactive vascular grafts with PCL/collagen and PCL/silica bilayers for small-diameter vascular applications
Year
2019
Author
Suhyung Park, Jinyoung Kim, Min-Kyu Lee, Cheonil Park, Hyun-Do Jung, Hyoun-Ee Kim, Tae-Sik Jang
Publication date
2019/7/27
Journal
Materials & Design
Vol
181
Page
108079
File
1-s2.0-S0264127519305179-main.pdf (3.7M) 20회 다운로드 DATE : 2020-11-10 11:53:14
In vascular surgical applications, small-diameter vascular grafts made from synthetic polymers are rarely commercialized, owing to delayed reendothelialization and subsequent thrombus formation and occlusion. Here, we describe a novel design for a small-diameter poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) vascular graft with a functional, bilayered nanofibrous structure and a composition that enables a suitable healing process and gradual degradation/replacement by natural blood vessels. To improve vascular cell responses to the PCL, a natural bioactive polymer (collagen) and a sol–gel-derived bioceramic (silica) were incorporated into the inner and outer layer of the PCL vascular graft, respectively. An electrospinning technique enabled the development of uniform electrospun PCL/collagen and PCL/silica nanofibers. In particular, the orientations of PCL/collagen nanofibers prepared with a high-speed rotating collector were highly aligned, and no breaks or irregular shapes were observed. The thin inner layer, composed of PCL/collagen with longitudinally aligned nanofibers, was favorable for the adhesion, elongation, and migration of endothelial cells, thus eliciting rapid reendothelialization of luminal surfaces of a vascular graft. The relatively thick outer layer, composed of PCL/silica with randomly distributed nanofibers, provided a superior mechanical strength and showed satisfactory biocompatibility. The findings of this study demonstrate a strong potential of PCL-based bilayer vascular grafts for vascular tissue applications.