Abstract: ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility of construction of engineered blood vessel using chitosan tube and fibrin gel as scaffold.MethodsVascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells were harvested from aortas of a rat, respectively. After expansion in vitro, vascular endothelial cells were seeded onto the inner surface of chitosan tube and smooth muscle cells mixed with fibrin gel seeded onto outer surface of the scaffold to construct engineered blood vessels. Inverted microscope, immunohistochemical staining and scanning electronic microscope were used to evaluate the construct.ResultsVascular endothelial cells formed monolayer and covered the inner surface of chitosan tube. Smooth muscle cells survived in the fibrin gel and grew in a 3-dimensional manner. ConclusionChitosan-fibrin gel may be potentially used as scaffold of engineered blood vessels.

Key words: vascular endothelial cell, smooth muscle cell, chitosan-fibrin gel, engineered blood vessel