Abstract
In order to develop new types of artificial vessel using native vessel wall element, we investigated the effect of formic acid treatment (which was supposed to degrade collagen and retain elastin) and trypsin treatment (which was supposed to degrade elastin and retain collagen) on vessel constructive elements by pathological staining and scannning electron microscope. The results were as follows. (1) By formic acid treatment: In adventitia and tunica media collagen fibers were removed and elastin fibers were partially untied. By short time treatment, vessel wall was thickened, and the luminal was narrowed. By long time treatment, the wall was thinned. (2) By trypsin treatment: Adventitia remained unchanged. In the middle layer, elasin fibers were expanded, and the fibers' bundles were scatterd. In tunica intima, elastin fibers were thinned, and vessel wall was expanded. (3) By either treatment, endothelium cells, smooth mascie cells and connective tissue were broadly removed. Neither collagen specific degradation nor elastin specific degradation was observed. An important unresolved question is the relation between retained extracellular matrixes and initial physical strength.
