A NEW DEVICE FOR ENDOTHELIAL-CELL SEEDING OF A SMALL-CALIBER VASCULARPROSTHESIS

A device permitting homogeneous endothelial cell seeding of a small-ca liber arterial prosthesis has been developed.The prosthesis is maintai ned firmly attached to a rotative scaffolding device. This device is a ctivated by an electrical motor at constant and adjustable speed. The whole system is maintained at 37-degrees-C in a cell culture incubator . The 4 mm internal diameter polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) prosthesis was coated with biological glue and seeded with human saphenous vein endothelial cells obtained by mechanical detachment. Cell seeding dens ity was 2.10(4) CellS/cm2 (Group A, n = 6) or 10(5) cells/cm2 (Group B , n = 6). Rotation speed was 8 revolutions per hour (rph) during 90 mi n. Analysis of the homogeneity of cell seeding was permitted by cell c ounts on five different segments of the prosthesis. Each longitudinal segment was analyzed at three different subsegments of the circumferen ce. The average adhesion was 43 +/- 4% in Group A and 38% +/- in Group B of seeded cells. No difference could be observed between the differ ent segments and subsegments. In the two groups, cells were spread, an d in Group B, a complete endothelial cell layer was obtained on the gr aft surface. This study permits validation of the device to allow homo geneous cell seeding in an arterial prosthesis.