Endothelial cell seeding of prosthetic vascular grafts: early experimental studies with cultured autologous canine endothelium
L. M. Graham, D. W. Vinter, J. W. Ford, R. H. Kahn, W. E. Burkel and J. C. Stanley
Thirteen adult dogs underwent thoracoabdominal bypass operations with 6-mm,
double-velour Dacron grafts 25 to 30 cm long. Experimental grafts were
seeded with cultured autologous endothelial cells (n = 7). Unseeded grafts
served as controls (n = 6). Endothelial cells were harvested from external
jugular vein segments using 0.1% trypsin and 0.5% collagenase solutions.
Grafts were studied at weeks 2 and 4. Endothelial cell coverage of
experimental graft surfaces after two weeks was 60% to 70%, and
approximately 80% after four weeks. Immunofluorescence using factor
VIII-related antigen confirmed the graft's inner surface to be endothelium.
Endothelial cell coverage in control grafts occurred as pannus ingrowth,
and never exceeded more than 10% of the conduit surface. Generation of an
early endothelial surface in prosthetic grafts is possible in a canine
model using cultured autologous cells.
