Kr. Kidd et al., Angiogenesis and neovascularization associated with extracellular matrix-modified porous implants, J BIOMED MR, 59(2), 2002, pp. 366-377
Therapies directed toward stimulation of angiogenesis seek to accelerate th
e development of new blood vessels in tissues rendered dysfunctional becaus
e of an insufficient microvascular supply. The goal of the current study wa
s the stimulation of an angiogenic response around and within porous biomed
ical implants, such as vascular grafts, constructed from a base polymer com
posed of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE). Similar to many biomater
ial, ePTFE does not elicit a significant angiogenic response and the porous
interstices of this material remain avascular after implantation. Studies
were performed to evaluate the ability of a tumorigenic cell line, the 804-
G rat kidney cell to secrete an angiogenic extracellular matrix on and with
in the porous structures of ePTFE. A rat model was used to evaluate and com
pare implant-associated healing responses between nonmodified materials and
extracellular matrix-modified ePTFE. Results demonstrated that, in contras
t to untreated ePTFE, the matrix-modified ePTFE stimulated both angiogenesi
s in implant-associated tissue and neovascularization of the pores within t
he ePTFE interstices. Deposition of an insoluble matrix stimulates an angio
genic response and has a potential application for the improvement of medic
al device function. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.