Mechanical matching nanofibrous vascular scaffold with effective anticoagulation for vascular tissue engineering

As a vascular scaffold, it should have proper mechanical property to match autologous tissue and resist the blood pressure. The development of a biomimetic surface with biomolecules which is able to mimic the anticoagulation properties is fundamental and difficult in the research for blood vessel substitutes to overcome the formation of thrombi. In the present research, heparin-grafted poly(ester-urethane)urea/gelatin (PU75-E/N-Hep) nanofibrous tubular scaffold was prepared via electrospinning technique followed by heparin grafting. The fabricated PU75-E/N-Hep nanofibrous tubular scaffold showed higher hydrophilicity, matched mechanical properties and improved blood compatibility. Furthermore, cell viability, cell morphology from cells culture in vitro and H&E staining, Masson's trichrome staining, immunohistochemistry staining, immunofluorescent staining were proceeded after implanted in rat's abdominal arterues for 1 week and 4 weeks, demonstrating that scaffold contributed to facilitating the migration and growth of smooth muscle cells as well as inducing rapid adhesion of endothelial cells. Hence, the PU75-E/N-Hep nanofibrous tubular scaffold is a promising candidate which can not only prevent acute thrombosis but also promote rapid regeneration of vascular tissue.