A Novel Small-Animal Model for Accelerated Investigation of Tissue-Engineered Aortic Valve Conduits

The objective of the study was to describe a novel small-animal model of tissue-engineered aortic valve conduits and to investigate biological processes in an accelerated and inexpensive fashion. An isogenic Lewis-to-Lewis rat model was used to exclude immunological factors of graft deterioration. U-shaped aortic valvular grafts were decellularized and characterized morphologically. Acellular conduits were repopulated with labeled isogenic cells in a bioreactor under flow conditions. Grafts were anastomosed to the recipient's abdominal aorta in an end-to-side manner (n = 7). Native rat aortas were implanted as a control group (n = 7). Grafts were explanted after 28 days and characterized. After treatment with trypsin–ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, no residual cells were visualized in the scaffold. Mean DNA content decreased from 0.347 to 0 μg/mg of DNA/tissue, and the content of collagenous connective tissue and proteoglycans appeared slightly reduced. Isolated aortic rat endothelial cells and myofibrob...