Medical News Observer

Key Points:

• Innovative 3D printing technology developed by POSTECH and Wonkwang University researchers facilitates the creation of artificial small-diameter vessels with endothelium.
• The researchers used dragging 3D printing techniques to create SDVs with free-form, multilayer, and controllable pore sizes. These were then infused with a bioink containing human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human aortic smooth muscle cells, resulting in up to 97.68% endothelial coverage.
• This breakthrough offers the potential for stable, mechanically strong artificial vessels suitable for complex vascular structures and other tubular tissues.

 

Overview

The demand for artificial small-diameter vessels (SDVs) in clinical settings has led to the emergence of numerous commercial products. However, developing artificial blood vessel grafts for small-diameter vessel replacement has faced challenges due to the lack of ability to fabricate them with endothelium. This leads to problems like thrombosis and insufficient mechanical properties to withstand various stresses. 

To address this issue, a team of researchers from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) and Wonkwang University utilized innovative 3D printing technology. Their research, published in Bioactive Materials, demonstrates a novel approach to creating a spontaneous cellular assembly SDV (S-SDV) that forms an endothelium.

Process of creating artificial small-diameter vessels with endothelium

The researchers used dragging 3D printing techniques to create SDVs with free-form, multilayer, and controllable pore sizes. A natural polymeric bioink containing human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human aortic smooth muscle cells (HAoSMCs) was infused into these multilayered porous artificial SDVs. This process led to the migration of HUVECs through the pores to the innermost layer, forming an endothelium. 

Results

The team achieved an impressive endothelial coverage of up to 97.68 ± 0.4% on the artificial SDV surface. Thereby significantly reducing the risk of platelet adhesion and the need for additional processing steps. This endothelium also met the necessary mechanical standards for transplantation. 

Future

According to researchers, This technology can potentially develop stable and mechanically strong small-diameter vessels suitable for complex vascular structures. The simplicity of the free-form structure and the ease of endothelial formation through the pores make the S-SDV particularly promising for complex vascular structures and potentially applicable to other tubular tissues like the esophagus.

Reference

Jeong, Hun-Jin, Hyoryung Nam, Jae-Seok Kim, Sungkeon Cho, Hyun-Ha Park, Young-Sam Cho, Hyungkook Jeon, Jinah Jang, and Seung-Jae Lee. 2024. “Dragging 3D Printing Technique Controls Pore Sizes of Tissue Engineered Blood Vessels to Induce Spontaneous Cellular Assembly.” Bioactive Materials 31 (January): 590–602. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioactmat.2023.07.021.