Abstract
Hybrid material consisting of artificial scaffold and living tissue achieves both of high biocompatibility and mechanical strength. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of the hybrid material for use as a blood protein filter. Sheet-like hybrid materials were fabricated in animals, and their antithrombogenicity and filter performance were evaluated. The materials were extracted from the body at 100 days after implantation. The tissues were decellularized using sodium dodecyl sulfate for preventing immunological rejection. A short-term test of antithrombogenicity was carried out by dropping blood on the material. The quantity of blood coagulation on the hybrid material was much smaller than those of polysulfone and cellulose. A blood cannula made of the hybrid material was implanted in a goat to evaluate the long-term antithrombogenicity. No clot was observed on the cannula even after 1 month of continuous exposure to blood. Blood plasma was filtered through the hybrid material to evaluate the removal of protein and the lifetime. The hybrid material showed protein removal ratio comparable to the conventional filters. The lifetime of one month was 6 times as long as that of polysulfone
