Skip to main content
European Commission logo print header

DEVELOPMENT OF AN 'ARTIFICIAL BLOOD VESSEL' FROM SYNTHETIC POLYMER BY SEEDING WITH HUMAN ENDOTHELIAL CELLS

Objective


The goal of this project was to develop a new concept for a small-diameter vascular prosthesis which interacts with the human biological system. This research developed and tested a special polymer type and coated it with cells from the human umbilical vein to encourage its compatibility with the body.
THIS RESEARCH PROJECT WILL MAKE A DECISIVE CONTRIBUTION TO DEVOLOPING A POLYMER FOR USE AS A CARDIOVASCULAR IMPLANT.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE ATTEMPT WILL BE MADE TO COLONIZE A SYNTHETIC POLYMER DURABLY WITH HUMAN INTIMA CELLS BY BONDING A NATURAL ADHESION PROMOTER COVALENTLY TO THE POLYMER SURFACE. AS THE SUPPORT POLYMER, A SEMIPERMEABLE, BIOCOMPATIBLE POLYURETHANE FILM IS TO BE DEVELOPED.

BEFORE THE BIOPOLYMER IS APPLIED, SUITABLE FUNCTIONAL GROUPS WILL BE GRAFTED TO THE SURFACE OF THE POLYETHER URETHANE BY PLASMA POLYMERIZATION.
THE CONCEPT DESCRIBED WILL BE FEASIBLE ONLY BY COMBINING THE EXPERIENCE OF SEVERAL DISCIPLINES, SUCH AS INDUSTRIAL POLYMER PROCESSING, POLYMER CHEMISTRY AND CELL BIOCHEMISTRY.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A POLYETHER URETHANE FILM COLONIZED WITH ENDOTHELIAL CELLS WILL ALLOW THE EUROPEAN INDUSTRY TO PENETRATE FURTHER INTO THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET FOR BIOCOMPATIBLE POLYMERS. THE "ARTIFICIAL VESSELS" NOW ON THE MARKET ARE ONLY OF LIMITED USEFULNESS AND HAVE TO BE IMPROVED.

Topic(s)

Data not available

Call for proposal

Data not available

Coordinator

AACHEN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
EU contribution
No data
Address
Templergraben 55
52056 AACHEN
Germany

See on map

Total cost
No data

Participants (5)