A collagen/smooth muscle cell-incorporated elastic scaffold for tissue-engineered vascular grafts

Biodegradable tubular scaffolds have been developed for vascular graft application. This study was focused to improve the adhesion and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in a tubular scaffold. Tubular scaffolds (ID 4 mm, OD 6 mm) were fabricated from a biodegradable elastic polymer, poly(L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) (50:50, M _n 1.58 × 10⁵), by an extrusion/particulate leaching method. SMCs suspended in a collagen solution were infiltrated in tubular PLCL scaffolds under vacuum and incubated for 1 h at 37°C to form a collagenous gel. Results from SEM image analysis showed that collagen was infiltrated into the inside of the scaffolds. Cell adhesion and proliferation rate increased in collagen/SMC-incorporated tubular PLCL scaffolds as compared with the scaffolds in which only SMCs were seeded. From SEM image and histological analysis, we further found that SMCs grew on the inside as well as on the surface of collagen/SMCs-incorporated scaffolds and the cells continued to grow as a monolayer on collagen fibers. In particular, cell proliferation and elastin contents were the highest in a PLCL scaffold with 50-100 μm pore size than any other scaffolds used in this experiment. A collagen/SMC-incorporated PLCL scaffold may support SMC growth and functions and can be used as a scaffold for tissue engineering to facilitate small-diameter vascular-tissue formation.