Author: Bolysbek Dana
Editor: Merentsova Anastasia
Scientists at the Southern Science and Technology University and the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology in China have created blood vessels from a metal-polymer conductive membrane that is flexible and biodegradable. They mimic real blood vessels and have been shown to be conductive in in vitro experiments and studies on rabbits.
New metallopolymer vessels can overcome the limitations of currently used tissue engineered blood vessels that serve as passive scaffolds. This is achieved through the use of other electronic devices that can provide controlled drug release and further treatment (gene therapy and electrical stimulation).
Previous developments, mainly aimed at mechanically supporting intractable small blood vessel blockages, have their limitations: they are not capable of regenerating blood vessel tissue and, unlike natural tissue, often cause tissue inflammation in response to blood flow.
To overcome the limitations of existing technology, scientists have fabricated biodegradable electronic blood vessels using a cylindrical rod to roll up a metal-polymer conductive membrane made from poly (L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone). They showed that in the laboratory, electrical stimulation of a blood vessel increases proliferation and migration of endothelial cells in a wound healing model, suggesting that electrical stimulation may promote the formation of new tissue of endothelial blood vessels.
Further, the device was tested on rabbits. The researchers replaced their carotid arteries, which supply blood to the brain, neck and face, with electronic blood vessels. They monitored the implants with Doppler ultrasound for three months, finding that the device provided sufficient blood flow throughout the study. Imaging tests that use x-rays and dye have shown that artificial arteries function as well as natural ones. Also, after removal of the implants, no traces of inflammation were found.
While these electronic blood vessels have proven effective in rabbits, more work needs to be done before the technology is ready for clinical trials, including long-term safety tests in large cohorts of rabbits and other animals. The researchers also hope that this technology will someday be combined with artificial intelligence to collect and store detailed information about blood flow rates, blood pressure and blood glucose levels in humans, making it easier to treat many diseases.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-10-flexible-biodegradable-electronic-blood-vessels.html
