A COMPLIANT TUBULAR DEVICE TO STUDY THE INFLUENCES OF WALL STRAIN ANDFLUID SHEAR-STRESS ON CELLS OF THE VASCULAR WALL

Purpose: Cellular constituents of the blood vessel wail are continuous ly subjected, in vivo, to both mechanical and hemodynamic forces, whic h elicit structural and biologic responses. We have developed a compli ant tubular system, the vascular simulating device (VSD), that reprodu ces these forces, while supporting the attachment and the experimental manipulation of endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Methods: The VSD consists of a compliant silicone rubber tube coupled to a pump system , which permits the simultaneous application of known levels of pressu re and how, to vascular wall cells cultured on the inner surface of th e tube. Seeded cells can be monitored visually under phase contrast or fluorescent optics, as well as harvested and analyzed for biologic re sponses. Results: The elastic modulus and compliance of the silicone r ubber tube are similar to those of canine and human arteries. Endothel ial and smooth muscle cells cultured on the lumenal surface of the tub es remain attached and viable after subjecting them to physiologic pul satile flow and cyclic strain. Conclusion: The VSD makes it possible t o approximate, in vitro, those forces encountered by vascular wall cel ls, in vivo and therefore may make it possible to determine whether sp ecific combinations of mechanical and hemodynamic forces are causally associated with specific vascular diseases.