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Review
. 2003 Oct;140(4):627-36.
doi: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0705457.

Designer blood vessels and therapeutic revascularization

Joseph D Berglund  1 , Zorina S Galis
Affiliations
Review

Designer blood vessels and therapeutic revascularization

Joseph D Berglund et al. Br J Pharmacol. 2003 Oct.

Abstract

Inadequate vascular perfusion leads to fatal heart attacks, chronic ulcers, and other serious clinical conditions. The body's capacity to restore vascular perfusion through angiogenesis and arteriogenesis is often impaired by pre-existing disease, and availability of native replacements for nonfunctional arteries is limited in many patients. Thus, recreating blood vessels of various calibres through novel engineering technologies has emerged as a radical option among therapeutic strategies for revascularization. Ranging from artificial, recycled or reassembled natural conduits to sophisticated microdevices, we refer to these as 'designer blood vessels'. Our common efforts to continuously improve vascular replacement design have provided many clues about our own blood vessels, but nature's ability to create nonthrombogenic, immunocompatible, strong, yet biologically responsive blood vessels remains unparalleled. Just as art reproductions never equal the original masterpiece, designer blood vessels may never attain nature's perfection. Nevertheless, they will provide a valuable option as long as they come close enough and are available to many.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Designer blood vessels engineered to supplant large-diameter, small-diameter, and microvessels for therapeutic revascularization of various tissues.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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