The production of small-diameter artificial vascular
grafts continues
to encounter numerous challenges, with concerns regarding the degradation
rate and endothelialization being particularly critical. In this study,
porous PCL scaffolds were prepared, and PCL vascular grafts were fabricated
by 3D bioprinting of collagen materials containing adipose-derived
mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) on the internal wall of the porous
PCL scaffold. The PCL vascular grafts were then implanted in the abdominal
aorta of Rhesus monkeys for up to 640 days to analyze the degradation
of the scaffolds and regeneration of the aorta. Changes in surface
morphology, mechanical properties, crystallization property, and molecular
weight of porous PCL revealed a similar degradation process of PCL
in PBS at pH 7.4 containing Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase and in situ in the abdominal aorta of rhesus monkeys. The
contrast of in vitro and in vivo degradation provided valuable reference data for predicting in vivo degradation based on in vitro enzymatic
degradation of PCL for further optimization of PCL vascular graft
fabrication. Histological analysis through hematoxylin and eosin (HE)
staining and fluorescence immunostaining demonstrated that the PCL
vascular grafts successfully induced vascular regeneration in the
abdominal aorta over the 640-day period. These findings provided valuable
insights into the regeneration processes of the implanted vascular
grafts. Overall, this study highlights the significant potential of
PCL vascular grafts for the regeneration of small-diameter blood vessels.