Nanoarchitecture of scaffolds and endothelial cells in engineering small diameter vascular grafts

Abstract

Regeneration of functional small diameter blood vessels still remains a challenge, as the synthetic vascular grafts fail to mimic the complex structural architecture and dynamic functions of blood vessels and also lack with the lack of non-thrombogenicity. Although, the existence of nanofibrous extracellular matrix components in the native tissue promotes many physical and molecular signals to the endothelial cells for the regulation of morphogenesis, homeostasis, and cellular functions in vascular tissue, poor understanding of the structural architecture on the functional activation of appropriate genes limits the development of successful vascular graft design. Hence, the present review outlines the functional contributions of various nanofibrous extracellular matrix components in native blood vessels. Further, the review focuses on the role of nanofiber topography of biomaterial scaffolds in endothelial cell fate processes such as adhesion, proliferation, migration, and infiltration with the expression of vasculature specific genes; thereby allowing the reader to envisage the communication between the nano-architecture of scaffolds and endothelial cells in engineering small diameter vascular grafts.

Keywords: Endothelial cells; Extracellular matrix; Gene expression; Nanofibers; Vascular graft.