Archive | 2019
Nanoengineered biomaterials for vascular tissue engineering
Abstract
Abstract The first artificial blood vessel model was developed by Weinberg and Bell in 1986 (published in Science ). It consisted of a multilayered, Dacron mesh-integrated, collagen scaffold seeded with smooth muscle cells. In support of their findings, the researchers stated, “Our model reproduces in vitro many of the characteristics of a mammalian muscular artery. The model is appropriate for studying the interactions of vascular cells with each other, with components of the extracellular matrix, and with rheological forces, and for studying transport across the endothelium”. Today this field is mostly dominated by nanoengineered biomaterials fabricated as multilayered, multicomponent, multiporous, multifunctional, and multi-bioactive-loaded scaffolds and architectures. However, the basic structural design of an artificial blood vessel remains the same in regard to the endothelial cells in the lumen and the smooth muscle cells in the wall, as well as the mechanical strength to withstand physiological pressure and the extracellular matrix. This chapter shines light on the nanostructured vascular scaffolds with respect to the biomaterials employed and the current fabrication techniques, bioengineering approaches, and composite design. Research related to electrospun nanofibrous membranes and their archetypical variants, templated nanoengineered scaffolds, and self-assembling systems are discussed. A special emphasis is placed on the phenotypic response and expression of various cells, such as endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, toward the nanoengineered biomaterials.