Vascular Constructs
AssigneeWake Forest University Health Sciences
InventorsSang Jin Lee, James J. Yoo, Young Min Ju, Anthony Atala
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is directed to products and methods for preparing self-seeding vascular constructs generated as a bi-layered electrospun matrices, conjugated with EPC-specific antibodies and anti-thrombogenic agents on the inner surfaces of their lumens.
Claims40
A method of preparing a vascular construct by an electrospinning process, comprising:
- electrically charging a solution of a matrix material;
- discharging the electrically charged solution onto a grounded target under an electrostatic field to produce fibers of the matrix on the grounded target, wherein the matrix has a tubular shape and a three-dimensional ultrastructure of interconnected fibers with pores to permit cell attachment;
- manipulating the electrospinning process parameters to vary the porosity of the matrix to form multiple layers having different porosities such that the tubular matrix comprises an inner region, in which the average pore size is less than 1 micron and an outer region, in which the average pore size is greater than 1 micron;
- and
- conjugating one or more EPC-specific antibodies or one or more anti-thrombogenic agents to a surface of the three-dimensional ultrastructure.
A method of preparing a vascular construct by an electrospinning process, comprising:
- electrically charging a solution of a matrix material comprising collagen and poly(β-caprolactone) (PCL);
- discharging the electrically charged solution onto a grounded target under an electrostatic field to produce fibers of the matrix on the grounded target, wherein the matrix has a tubular shape with an outside surface and a lumen that defines an inside surface and a three-dimensional ultrastructure of interconnected fibers with pores to permit cell attachment;
- manipulating the electrospinning process parameters to vary the porosity of the matrix to form multiple layers having different porosities such that at least an inner region of the matrix has an average pore size of 0.5 micron or less and an outer portion has an average pore size between about 1 micron and about 10 microns;
- activating the inner surface by immersion in a solution of comprising EDC (1-ethyl-3(3-dimethly aminopropyl) carbodiimide) and NHS (N-hydroxyl-sulfo-succinimide) to form peptide bonds, and
- conjugating CD133 antibodies and heparin to the lumen.
A self-seeding bi-layered vascular graft comprising an electrospun matrix having a tubular shape with an outside surface and a lumen that defines an inside surface and a three-dimensional ultrastructure of interconnected fibers with pores, the matrix further comprises an inner region, in which the average pore size is less than 1 micron and an outer region, in which the average pore size is greater than 1 micron and wherein one or more EPC-specific antibodies and one or more anti-thrombogenic agents are conjugated to the lumen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.