AUTHOR=Massaro Maria Stefania , Kochová Petra , Pálek Richard , Rosendorf Jáchym , Červenková Lenka , Dahmen Uta , Liška Václav , Moulisová Vladimíra TITLE=Decellularization of Porcine Carotid Arteries: From the Vessel to the High-Quality Scaffold in Five Hours JOURNAL=Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology VOLUME=10 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bioengineering-and-biotechnology/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2022.833244 DOI=10.3389/fbioe.2022.833244 ISSN=2296-4185 ABSTRACT=

The use of biologically derived vessels as small-diameter vascular grafts in vascular diseases is currently intensely studied. Vessel decellularization provides a biocompatible scaffold with very low immunogenicity that avoids immunosuppression after transplantation. Good scaffold preservation is important as it facilitates successful cell repopulation. In addition, mechanical characteristics have to be carefully evaluated when the graft is intended to be used as an artery due to the high pressures the vessel is subjected to. Here, we present a new and fast decellularization protocol for porcine carotid arteries, followed by investigation of the quality of obtained vessel scaffolds in terms of maintenance of important extracellular matrix components, mechanical resistance, and compatibility with human endothelial cells. Our results evidence that our decellularization protocol minimally alters both the presence of scaffold proteins and their mechanical behavior and human endothelial cells could adhere to the scaffold in vitro. We conclude that if a suitable protocol is used, a high-quality decellularized arterial scaffold of non-human origin can be promptly obtained, having a great potential to be recellularized and used as an arterial graft in transplantation medicine.