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Fabrication Process of Triple-Layer Small-Diameter Vascular Scaffold with Microchannel Structure in the Inner Layer for Accelerated Endothelialization

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Abstract

Nowadays, many studies focus on the preparation of small-diameter vascular scaffolds, but some issues still existed that need to be urgently solved, but there are still problems such as slow endothelialization and failure to keep the vessels open for a long time that need to be solved. In this paper, a composite process of preparing triple-layer vascular scaffolds with microchannel structure in the inner layer is proposed to guide cell growth and accelerate the endothelialization process. The PCL pattern was printed as the intermediate layer of the vascular scaffold by 3D printing method, and the width of the microchannel in the inner layer of the scaffold was controlled by the printing spacing. The inner and outer layers were prepared by electrospinning. Heparin is often used as an anticoagulant in vascular tissue engineering to improve the problem of thrombosis and blockage of vascular scaffold after transplantation into the body. Here, the inner layer carries heparin immobilized with silk fibroin by coaxial electrospinning, so that heparin can be released slowly. The addition of silk fibroin also improved the hydrophilicity of PCL electrospinning film by water contact angle test. The mechanical properties of vascular scaffolds with double intermediate layers (DIL) are better than those with single intermediate layers (SIL) and also better than pure electrospinning scaffolds. In vitro cell experiments showed that cells grow directionally on microchannel structures of inner layer and randomly on electrospinning film without microchannel structure. The results showed that the microchannels were more conducive to cell growth and proliferation at a diameter of 0.25 mm. The composite electrospinning films with silk fibroin and heparin facilitated cell adhesion and proliferation compared to the pure PCL films. All these results indicate that the vascular scaffolds have potential applications in clinic for vascular tissue regeneration.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge funding support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 52175474).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rapid Manufacturing Engineering Center, School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China

    Qingxi Hu, Qi Wang, Suihong Liu & Haiguang Zhang

  2. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200072, China

    Qingxi Hu, Suihong Liu & Haiguang Zhang

  3. National Demonstration Center for Experimental Engineering Training Education, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China

    Qingxi Hu & Haiguang Zhang

  4. Department of Vascular Surgery, Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Ye Lu & Jiaxuan Feng

  5. Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

    Zhaoxiang Zeng & Rui Feng

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  1. Qingxi Hu
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Hu, Q., Wang, Q., Liu, S. et al. Fabrication Process of Triple-Layer Small-Diameter Vascular Scaffold with Microchannel Structure in the Inner Layer for Accelerated Endothelialization. Fibers Polym 24, 469–482 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12221-023-00094-y

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