Abstract
A design concept of hybrid artificial endocardium, which is incorporated into biomechanical pump using skeletal muscle, was proposed and its prototype model was devised. The hybrid artificial endocardium is constituted of polyurethane porous membrane as a structural matrix, fragmented blood vessel and collagen gel. Supposed that tissue regeneration is promoted by cells outgrown from fragmented vessel embedded in collagen fel, blood vessel like structure could be formed, which may function as an endocardium. Polyurethane porous membrane was prepared by solvent co-casting with fine sodium chloride powder, resulting in elastomeric substrate with 150-500μm pore. Fragmented and trapped adult goat aorta in collagen gel was cultured in 5% C02, 37°C. Endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells outgrew from tissue fragments at 4th day. After 21 days, outgrown cells on a collagen gel surface tended to regenerate the endothelium-like monolayer sheet and aligned in collagen gel. It is concluded that the vessel wall regeneration technique coupled with a microporous elastomeric membrane could provide a basis for hybrid artificial endocardium.
