Three-dimensional bioprinting of artificial blood vessel: Process, bioinks, and challenges

Abstract

The coronary artery bypass grafting is a main treatment for restoring the blood supply to the ischemic site by bypassing the narrow part, thereby improving the heart function of the patients. Autologous blood vessels are preferred in coronary artery bypass grafting, but their availability is often limited by due to the underlying disease. Thus, tissue-engineered vascular grafts that are devoid of thrombosis and have mechanical properties comparable to those of natural vessels are urgently required for clinical applications. Most of the commercially available artificial implants are made from polymers, which are prone to thrombosis and restenosis. The biomimetic artificial blood vessel containing vascular tissue cells is the most ideal implant material. Due to its precision control ability, three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is a promising method to prepare biomimetic system. In the 3D bioprinting process, the bioink is at the core state for building the topological structure and keeping the cell viable. Therefore, in this review, the basic properties and viable materials of the bioink are discussed, and the research of natural polymers in bioink, including decellularized extracellular matrix, hyaluronic acid, and collagen, is emphasized. Besides, the advantages of alginate and Pluronic F127, which are the mainstream sacrificial material during the preparation of artificial vascular graft, are also reviewed. Finally, an overview of the applications in the field of artificial blood vessel is also presented.

An assessment system for clinical and biological interpretability in ulcerative colitis

“…High UCRScore significantly increases inflammation, stromal, and inflammatory microenvironment scores, which is consistent with inflammatory cells, environmental infiltration, and a series of activated immune-related pathways in the early occurrence of UC [ 40 ]. Clinical cytoplasmic proteins secreted by activated neutrophils, including fecal calcium protegerin and fecal lactoferrin, are used as diagnostic biomarkers of IBD, which is consistent with the increased activity of high UCRScore in neutrophils and Th1 cells [ 41 , 42 ].…”

Molecular subtypes of ischemic heart disease based on circadian rhythm

“…Type2 was significantly enriched in immunoinflammatory pathways, with a high CRDscore, high immune activation, and low level of collagen metabolism. Recent research has shown that inflammation plays a key role in coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis, in which immune mechanisms interact with metabolic risk factors www.nature.com/scientificreports/ to initiate, propagate, and activate lesions in the arterial branch 46,47 . Immune cells dominate early atherosclerotic lesions, their effector molecules accelerate the progression of the lesions, and activation of inflammation can elicit acute coronary syndromes [48][49][50] .…”

Three-Dimensional Bioprinting in Cardiovascular Disease: Current Status and Future Directions

“…Bioprinting of functional tissues such as myocardium is a complex phenomenon due to their complex anatomical structures, thus in vitro fabrication of myocardial tissues requires an arrangement of multiple cell types in order, including vascular network, lymphatic vessels and muscle tissues, within engineered cardiac construct tissues [ 42 ]. As the ultimate goal in 3D bioprinting is to print the injured or damaged organ in situ, attention should be paid to the sterilization and safety of the in situ bioprinting processes [ 170 ].…”