Artificial ECM Proteins for Vascular Grafts

描述(由申请人提供)： 这项工作的长期目标是开发人工细胞外基质(AECM)蛋白，用于制造具有改善长期通畅性的血管移植物。这种方法是基于以下假设的：i)。现有的人造血管移植材料--特别是膨体聚四氟乙烯(EPTFE)和涤纶--无论是在表面化学方面还是在机械性能方面都不是最优的，ii)。合成移植物的愈合机制至少部分由细胞与移植物表面或与沉积在该表面的大分子，包括血浆蛋白或细胞外基质蛋白的相互作用所控制，三)。通过呈现特定细胞表面受体的配体，可以获得对移植物表面细胞行为的控制的措施，以及iv)。这种ECM蛋白质的工程变体将允许控制移植物的关键机械性能和移植物表面的配体呈现。该项目将包括：i)。内皮细胞在交联型AECM蛋白上的扩散和黏附行为的测定，II)。测定AECM结构对内皮细胞迁移和增殖的影响，以及iii)。对AECM蛋白的炎症和血栓形成反应的体外分析。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term objective of this work is the development of artificial extracellular matrix (aECM) proteins to be used in the fabrication of vascular grafts characterized by improving long-term patency. The approach is predicated on the following hypotheses: I). that existing synthetic vascular graft materials - specifically expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) and Dacron - are not optimal, either in terms of surface chemistry or with respect to mechanical properties, ii). that the mechanisms of healing of synthetic grafts are controlled at least in part by cellular interactions with the graft surface or with macromolecules, including plasma proteins or ECM proteins, deposited on that surface, iii). that a measure of control of cellular behavior at the graft surface can be gained by presentation of ligands for specific cell-surface receptors, and iv). that engineered variants of ECM proteins will allow control, both of the key mechanical properties of the graft, and of the presentation of ligands at the graft surface. The project will include: I). determination of endothelial cell spreading and adhesion behavior on crosslinked aECM proteins, ii). determination of the effect of aECM structure on endothelial cell migration and proliferation, and iii). in vitro analysis of inflammatory and thrombogenic responses to aECM proteins.