Tissue-engineered vascular grafts and regeneration mechanisms

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are life-threatening diseases with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Vascular bypass surgery is still the ultimate strategy for CVD treatment. Autografts are the gold standard for graft transplantation, but insufficient sources limit their widespread application. Therefore, alternative tissue engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) are urgently needed. In this review, we summarize the major strategies for the preparation of vascular grafts, as well as the factors affecting their patency and tissue regeneration. Finally, the underlying mechanisms of vascular regeneration that are mediated by host cells are discussed.