Coaxial electrospinning multicomponent functional controlled-release vascular graft: Optimization of graft properties.

Small diameter vascular grafts possessing desirable biocompatibility and suitable mechanical properties have become an urgent clinic demand. Herein, heparin loaded fibrous grafts of collagen/chitosan/poly(l-lactic acid-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) were successfully fabricated via coaxial electrospinning. By controlling the concentration of heparin and the ratio of collagen/chitosan/PLCL, most grafts had the heparin encapsulation efficiency higher than 70%, and the heparin presented sustained release for more than 45 days. Particularly, such multicomponent grafts had relative low initial burst release, and after heparin releasing for 3 weeks, the grafts still showed good anti-platelet adhesion ability. In addition, along with the excellent cell biocompatibility, the fabricated grafts possessed suitable mechanical properties including good tensile strength, suture retention strength, burst pressure and compliance which could well match the native blood vessels. Thus, the optimized graft properties could be properly addressed for vascular tissue application via coaxial electrospinning.

Fabrication of cell penetration enhanced poly (l-lactic acid-co-ɛ-caprolactone)/silk vascular scaffolds utilizing air-impedance electrospinning.

In the vascular prosthetic field, the prevailing thought is that for clinical, long-term success, especially bioresorbable grafts, cellular migration and penetration into the prosthetic structure is required to promote neointima formation and vascular wall development. In this study, we fabricated poly (l-lactic acid-co-ɛ-caprolactone) P(LLA-CL)/silk fibroin (SF) vascular scaffolds through electrospinning using both perforated mandrel subjected to various intraluminal air pressures (0-300kPa), and solid mandrel. The scaffolds were evaluated the cellular infiltration in vitro and mechanical properties. Vascular scaffolds were seeded with smooth muscle cells (SMCs) to evaluate cellular infiltration at 1, 7, and 14 days. The results revealed that air-impedance scaffolds allowed significantly more cell infiltration as compared to the scaffolds fabricated with solid mandrel. Meanwhile, results showed that both mandrel model and applied air pressure determined the interfiber distance and the alignment of fibers in the enhanced porosity regions of the structure which influenced cell infiltration. Uniaxial tensile testing indicated that the air-impedance scaffolds have sufficient ultimate strength, suture retention strength, and burst pressure as well as compliance approximating a native artery. In conclusion, the air-impedance scaffolds improved cellular infiltration without compromising overall biomechanical properties. These results support the scaffold's potential for vascular grafting and in situ regeneration.

High cycle fatigue behavior of implant Ti-6Al-4V in air and simulated body fluid.

Ti-6Al-4V implants that function as artificial joints are usually subjected to long-term cyclic loading. To study long-term fatigue behaviors of implant Ti-6Al-4V in vitro and in vivo conditions exceeding 107 cycles, constant stress amplitude fatigue experiments were carried out at ultrasonic frequency (20 kHz) with two different surface conditions (ground and polished) in ambient air and in a simulated body fluid. The initiation mechanisms of fatigue cracks were investigated with scanning electron microscopy. Improvement of fatigue strength is pronounced for polished specimens below 106 cycles in ambient air since fatigue cracks are initiated from surfaces of specimens. While the cycles exceed 106, surface conditions have no effect on fatigue behaviors because the defects located within the specimens become favorable sites for crack initiation. The endurance limit at 108 cycles of polished Ti-6Al-4V specimens decreases by 7% if it is cycled in simulated body fluid instead of ambient air. Fracture surfaces show that fatigue failure is initiated from surfaces in simulated body fluid. Surface improvement has a beneficial effect on fatigue behaviors of Ti-6Al-4V at high stress amplitudes. The fatigue properties of Ti-6Al-4V deteriorate and the mean endurance limits decrease significantly in simulated body fluid.