Considerable advances have occurred in the development of tissue-engineered blood vessels (TEBVs) to repair or replace injured blood vessels, or as in vitro systems for drug toxicity testing. Here we summarize approaches to produce TEBVs and review current efforts to (1) identify suitable cell sources for the endothelium and vascular smooth muscle cells, (2) design the scaffold to mimic the arterial mechanical properties and (3) regulate the functional state of the cells of the vessel wall. Initial clinical studies have established the feasibility of this approach and challenges that make TEBVs a viable alternative for vessel replacement are identified.
Keywords: clinical studies; engineered blood vessels; smooth muscle cells; vascular endothelium.