Fibrin: A Natural Biodegradable Scaffold in Vascular Tissue Engineering

Abstract

Arterial occlusive disease remains a major health issue in the developed world and a rapidly growing problem in the developing world. Although a growing number of patients are now being effectively treated with minimally invasive techniques, there remains a tremendous pressure on the vascular community to develop a synthetic small-diameter vascular graft with improved long-term patency rates. The field of tissue engineering offers an exciting alternative in the search for living organ replacement structures. Several methodologies have emerged for constructing blood vessel replacements with biological functionality. Common strategies include cell-seeded biodegradable synthetic scaffolds, cell self-assembly, cell-seeded gels and xenogeneic acellular materials. A wide range of materials are being investigated as potential scaffolds for vascular tissue engineering applications. Some are commercialised and others are still in development. Recently, researchers have studied the role of fibrin gel as a three-dimensional scaffold in vascular tissue engineering. This overview describes the properties of fibrin gel in vascular tissue engineering and highlights some recent progress and difficulties encountered in the development of cell fibrin scaffold technology.

Hydrogel-based microfluidics for vascular tissue engineering

“…Western blot analysis of MT1-MMP indicated that its activity after 4 h post-seeding was enhanced in both PEGylated and non-modified 3-D gels as compared to 2-D culture ( Figure 3B). MT1-MMP activity in 3-D PEGylated fibrin gels was markedly increased starting from day 6 (bands 8,9,11,12) and was comparable to the activity in non-modified fibrin.…”

“…Fibrin has been qualified as an appropriate natural protein matrix material for vascular tissue engineering due to its unique properties [9]. Fibrinogen, which is the fibrin precursor, is a blood protein and can be autologously derived.…”

Biodegradable polymers for dental tissue engineering and regeneration

“…The use of fibrin as a biomaterial results from its biocompatibility, biodegradability, injectability, and ability to enhance cell proliferation [334]. Currently, fibrin is investigated for use as drug delivery device [335] and cell carrier [336] and fibrin glues are commercially available (Evicel ® , Ethicon).…”

Regenerative medicine, tissue engineering and vascular surgery: twenty first century clinical challenges

“…Several methodologies for constructing blood vessel replacements with biological functionality have emerged. The most common strategies include the use of cell-seeded gels, cell self-assembly, cell-seeded biodegradable synthetic scaffolds and xenogeneic acellular materials [5].…”

“…Fibrin gel offers a number of advantages over cell self-assembly [5,11]. Fibrin has many inherent characteristics making it an ideal material for endothelial and smooth muscle cell adherence and it produces autologous extra cellular matrix.…”