Fibroin in small-caliber vascular prostheses

Sun Hao; Yan Yu-sheng; Chen Qun-qing; Li Shao-bin

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2014.16.019

Abstract：BACKGROUND:Many scholars have successfuly applied silk fibroin into smal-caliber vascular prostheses to achieve better anti-thrombotic role and excelent mechanical strength. In the animal experiments, an ideal long-term patency has been achieved. OBJECTIVE:To summarize the biochemical properties of silk fibroin, the currently used methods for the vessel modification, as wel as specific applications of silk fibroin in smal-caliber vascular prostheses. Methods: A computer-based search of CNKI, Medline database and ScienceDirect databases from January 1980 to December 2013 was performed for articles relevant to smal-caliber vascular prostheses with the key words of “vascular grafts, silk fibroin” in Chinese and English. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Silk fibroin has controlable mechanical properties and good biocompatibility. Its decomposition products is wel known and non-toxic. In addition, silk fibroin is easy to be integrated by anticoagulant group, and the effect is obvious, reliable, and easy for colonization and growth of endothelial cels, which can bring a satisfactory long-term patency. So, silk fibroin is an ideal material for the smal-caliber vascular prostheses. However, due to the production process and other issues, the application of silk fibroin in previous studies has no long-term development. Recently, the development of nano-materials, bionic technology, vascular tissue engineering, and electrospinning technology brings new chances for the application of silk fibroin in artificial vessels.