Abstract
PurposeIn vitro stimulation of native and bioartificial vessels in perfusable systems simulating natural mechanical environments of the human vasculature represents an emerging approach in cardiovascular research. Promising results have been achieved for applications in both regenerative medicine and etiopathogenetic investigations. However, accurate and reliable simulation of the wide variety of physiological and pathological pressure environments observed in different vessels still remains an unmet challenge.MethodsWe established a modular hemodynamic simulator (MHS) with interchangeable and modifiable components suitable for the perfusion of native porcine—(i.e. the aorta, brachial and radial arteries and the inferior vena cava) and bioartificial fibrin-based vessels with anatomical site specific pressure curves. Additionally, different pathological pressure waveforms associated with cardiovascular diseases including hyper- and hypotension, tachy- and bradycardia, aortic valve stenosis and insufficiency, heart failure, obstructive cardiomyopathy and arterial stiffening were simulated. Pressure curves, cyclic distension and shear stress were measured for each vessel and compared to ideal clinical pressure waveforms.ResultsThe pressure waveforms obtained in the MHS showed high similarity to the ideal anatomical site specific pressure curves of different vessel types. Moreover, the system facilitated accurate emulation of physiological and different pathological pressure conditions in small diameter fibrin-based vessels.ConclusionThe MHS serves as a variable in vitro platform for accurate emulation of physiological and pathological pressure environments in biological probes. Potential applications of the system include bioartificial vessel maturation in cardiovascular tissue engineering approaches as well as etiopathogenetic investigations of various cardiovascular pathologies.
Highlights
In the human body, blood vessels are exposed to a variety of mechanical stimuli including intraluminal blood pressure, cyclic stretch and shear stress, which all are induced by pulsatile blood flow
The transfer towards bioartificial vessels was performed for the radial artery by comparing the settings of the modular hemodynamic simulator (MHS) required for stimulation of either the native vessel or a fibrin-based bioartificial graft
Mid-descending aortas served as an example for the application of central pressure waveforms, brachial and radial arteries were used to demonstrate pressure curves in medium-diameter vessels and inferior venae cavae were stimulated under typical central venous pressures
Summary
Blood vessels are exposed to a variety of mechanical stimuli including intraluminal blood pressure, cyclic stretch and shear stress, which all are induced by pulsatile blood flow. These forces do depend on the position of the vessel in the vascular system, but are highly variable among patients with different cardiovascular pathologies. Perfusion systems play an important role in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering approaches, on the other hand, such systems could serve as in vitro platforms for etiopathogenetic investigations or drug and medical device testing in the future.[34,37]. It is important to notice that the pressure waveform
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