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Designer blood vessels and therapeutic revascularization

  1. Joseph D Berglund1,
  2. Zorina S Galis1,2,†,*

Article first published online: 2 FEB 2009

DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0705457

Issue

British Journal of Pharmacology

British Journal of Pharmacology

Volume 140, Issue 4, pages 627–636, October 2003

Additional Information

How to Cite

Berglund, J. D. and Galis, Z. S. (2003), Designer blood vessels and therapeutic revascularization. British Journal of Pharmacology, 140: 627–636. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0705457

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University, 1639 Pierce Drive-WMB, Atlanta, GA 30322, U.S.A.

  2. 2

    Wallace H. Coulter School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University, Atlanta, GA, U.S.A.

  1. †

    Current address: Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University, 1639 Pierce Drive-WMB, Atlanta, GA 30322, U.S.A.

*Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University, 1639 Pierce Drive-WMB, Atlanta, GA 30322, U.S.A. E-mail: zgalis@emory.edu

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 2 FEB 2009
  2. Article first published online: 2 FEB 2009
  3. (Received May 30, 2003, Revised July 8, 2003, Accepted July 16, 2003)

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Keywords:

  • Therapeutic revascularization;
  • arterial grafts/replacement;
  • biodegradable scaffolds;
  • angiogenesis;
  • arteriogenesis;
  • tissue engineering;
  • controlled drug delivery;
  • nanofabricated devices

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.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2003) 140, 627–636. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705457

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (236K)