Researchers manufacture new material to mimic ‘living blood vessels’
An international research collaboration led by the University of Sydney (Australia) has created a technique that allows for the production of materials that mirror the structure of real arteries, with major implications for the advancement of surgery.
Preclinical research revealed that after implanting the synthetic blood vessel into mice, the host accepted the foreign material, with new cells and tissue developing in the desired locations, effectively converting the material into a ‘living blood vessel.’
According to the senior author of the study, Anthony Weiss of the University of Sydney Charles Perkins Centre (Australia), while others have attempted to build blood vessels with varying degrees of success in the past, this marks the first time scientists have seen the blood vessels grow with such a high level of resemblance to the complicated structure of naturally produced blood vessels.
“Nature converts this manufactured tube over time to one that looks, behaves and functions like a real blood vessel,” said Weiss. “The technology’s ability to recreate the complex structure of biological tissues shows it has the potential to not only manufacture blood vessels to assist in surgery, but also sets the scene for the future creation of other synthetic tissues such as heart valves.”
Christopher Breuer of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Wexner Medical Center (both OH, USA) was the co-author of the study and has expressed his excitement regarding the future potential of this research for children.
“Currently when kids suffer from an abnormal vessel, surgeons have no choice but to use synthetic vessels that function well for a short time but inevitably children need additional surgeries as they grow. This new technology provides the exciting foundation for the manufactured blood vessels that continue to grow and develop over time,” Breuer explains.
Ziyu Wang, lead author and bioengineer at the Charles Perkins Centre, designed the technique as part of his PhD research. He expanded on the previous work done at the Charles Perkins Centre by Suzanne Mithieux.
Natural blood vessel walls are composed of concentric rings of the protein elastin. This provides blood vessels elasticity and the potential to stretch and extend. Thus, allowing blood vessels to expand and compress in response to blood flow.
This is the first time these pivotal concentric elastin rings have formed spontaneously within the walls of transplanted blood vessels thanks to this novel technique. Contrast from conventional synthetic material manufacturing processes, which may be slow, difficult, and costly, this improved production system is very efficient and well-defined.
“These synthetic vessels are elegant because they are manufactured from just two naturally occurring materials that are well-tolerated by the body,” said Dr Wang. “Tropoelastin (the natural building block for elastin) is packaged in an elastic sheath which dissipates gradually and promotes the formation of highly organized, natural mimics of functioning blood vessels.”
Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/10/221024102855.htm