OBJECTIVES: Percutaneous stenting of occluded peripheral vessels is a well-established technique in clinical practice. Unfortunately, the patency rates of small-caliber vessels after stenting remain unsatisfactory. The aim of the BioStent concept is to overcome in-stent restenosis by excluding the diseased vessel segment entirely from the blood stream, in addition to providing an intact endothelial cell layer. DESIGN: The concept combines the principles of vascular tissue engineering with a self-expanding stent: casting of the stent within a cellularized fibrin gel structure, followed by bioreactor conditioning, allows complete integration of the stent within engineered tissue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Small-caliber BioStents (Ø=6 mm; n=4) were produced by casting a nitinol stent within a thin fibrin/vascular smooth muscle cell (vSMC) mixture, followed by luminal endothelial cell seeding, and conditioning of the BioStent within a bioreactor system. The potential remodeling of the fibrin component into tissue was analyzed using routine histological methods. Scanning electron microscopy was used to assess the luminal endothelial cell coverage following the conditioning phase and crimping of the stent. RESULTS: The BioStent was shown to be noncytotoxic, with no significant effect on cell proliferation. Gross and microscopic analysis revealed complete integration of the nitinol component within a viable tissue structure. Hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed a homogenous distribution of vSMCs throughout the thickness of the BioStent, while a smooth, confluent luminal endothelial cell lining was evident and not significantly affected by the crimping/release process. CONCLUSIONS: The BioStent concept is a platform technology offering a novel opportunity to generate a viable, self-expanding stent structure with a functional endothelial cell lining. This platform technology can be transferred to different applications depending on the luminal cell lining required.
OBJECTIVES: Percutaneous stenting of occluded peripheral vessels is a well-established technique in clinical practice. Unfortunately, the patency rates of small-caliber vessels after stenting remain unsatisfactory. The aim of the BioStent concept is to overcome in-stent restenosis by excluding the diseased vessel segment entirely from the blood stream, in addition to providing an intact endothelial cell layer. DESIGN: The concept combines the principles of vascular tissue engineering with a self-expanding stent: casting of the stent within a cellularized fibrin gel structure, followed by bioreactor conditioning, allows complete integration of the stent within engineered tissue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Small-caliber BioStents (Ø=6 mm; n=4) were produced by casting a nitinol stent within a thin fibrin/vascular smooth muscle cell (vSMC) mixture, followed by luminal endothelial cell seeding, and conditioning of the BioStent within a bioreactor system. The potential remodeling of the fibrin component into tissue was analyzed using routine histological methods. Scanning electron microscopy was used to assess the luminal endothelial cell coverage following the conditioning phase and crimping of the stent. RESULTS: The BioStent was shown to be noncytotoxic, with no significant effect on cell proliferation. Gross and microscopic analysis revealed complete integration of the nitinol component within a viable tissue structure. Hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed a homogenous distribution of vSMCs throughout the thickness of the BioStent, while a smooth, confluent luminal endothelial cell lining was evident and not significantly affected by the crimping/release process. CONCLUSIONS: The BioStent concept is a platform technology offering a novel opportunity to generate a viable, self-expanding stent structure with a functional endothelial cell lining. This platform technology can be transferred to different applications depending on the luminal cell lining required.
Authors: Miriam Weber; Eriona Heta; Ricardo Moreira; Valentine N Gesche; Thomas Schermer; Julia Frese; Stefan Jockenhoevel; Petra Mela Journal: Tissue Eng Part C Methods Date: 2013-10-19 Impact factor: 3.056
Authors: Ricardo Moreira; Valentine N Gesche; Luis G Hurtado-Aguilar; Thomas Schmitz-Rode; Julia Frese; Stefan Jockenhoevel; Petra Mela Journal: Tissue Eng Part C Methods Date: 2014-03-25 Impact factor: 3.056
Authors: Ricardo Moreira; Thaddaeus Velz; Nuno Alves; Valentine N Gesche; Axel Malischewski; Thomas Schmitz-Rode; Julia Frese; Stefan Jockenhoevel; Petra Mela Journal: Tissue Eng Part C Methods Date: 2014-12-19 Impact factor: 3.056
Authors: Anja Lena Thiebes; Manuel Armin Reddemann; Johannes Palmer; Reinhold Kneer; Stefan Jockenhoevel; Christian Gabriel Cornelissen Journal: Tissue Eng Part C Methods Date: 2016-03-18 Impact factor: 3.056
Authors: Marianne E Mertens; Julia Frese; Deniz Ali Bölükbas; Ladislav Hrdlicka; Susanne Golombek; Sabine Koch; Petra Mela; Stefan Jockenhövel; Fabian Kiessling; Twan Lammers Journal: Theranostics Date: 2014-07-28 Impact factor: 11.556
Authors: Anja Lena Thiebes; Stefanie Albers; Christian Klopsch; Stefan Jockenhoevel; Christian G Cornelissen Journal: Biores Open Access Date: 2015-06-01