PROSTHESES WITH ASSOCIATED GROWTH FACTORS

摘要

A polypeptide growth factor is associated with a substrate to promote population of the substrate with endothelial cells. A prosthesis is formed with growth factor crosslinked to the substrate. Preferred polypeptide growth factors include VEGF. VEGF treated tissue can be populated with endothelial cells in vitro and/or in vivo. In an alternative approach, VEGF can be associated with the substrate by direct contact with a VEGF solution, application of the VEGF with an adhesive as a coating to the substrate, or chemical binding of the VEGF to the substrate with or without an intervening linker molecule. In one preferred approach, the growth factor is associated with the substrate by crosslinking under suitably mild conditions such that the growth factor is active following the crosslinking process.