Tissue engineered cellular sheets, and methods of making same

摘要

The disclosure provides methods and compositions to build living tissue covered stents and the like. These tissue coated stents provide a barrier against cell migration to the lumen of the vessel. Since the tissue can surround and envelope the stent, foreign body responses to the stent material are reduced and delayed. The tissue coating is also relatively impermeable to transmural flow, so the wrapped stent can act as a bypass vessel. The tissue is also robust enough to act as a stand alone vessel, without requiring the presence of the metallic stent. These stents can be endothelialized to reduce thrombosis. The genetic modifications described in this disclosure allow for functional organs to be built that express agents that are anti-restenotic or anti-thrombogenic.