Epoxide-Crosslinked Animal Blood Vessel with Anticoagulant Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional artificial blood vessels made from synthetic materials face chronic rejection and poor anticoagulation, especially in smaller diameters, due to residual toxicity and incomplete antigen elimination, hindering endothelial cell growth and long-term blood flow.
Innovation Solution
A biological artificial blood vessel is created using an animal blood vessel substrate crosslinked with epoxides and treated to block antigenic sites, combined with an anti-coagulation coating containing heparin and growth-promoting polypeptides to minimize immune rejection and enhance biocompatibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If aldehydes (formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde) are used for crosslinking and fixation to increase stability, then the stability of animal blood vessels is improved, but toxic aldehydes are released during degradation causing long-term residual toxicity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameter of the crosslinking agent from aldehydes to epoxides. This substitution fundamentally alters the degradation products from toxic aldehydes to non-toxic polyols, eliminating residual toxicity while preserving crosslinking functionality and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful aldehyde crosslinking process into a beneficial epoxide crosslinking process. The epoxide crosslinking not only eliminates toxicity but also produces metabolizable polyols as degradation products, turning a harmful chemical process into a safe and beneficial one.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional cell removal methods are used to eliminate antigens, then some antigens are removed, but antigenicity is not completely eliminated because antigens also originate from active groups on proteins and polysaccharides
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes lipid components from the animal blood vessel through defatting treatment. This extraction process eliminates a major source of antigens and improves biocompatibility, addressing the incomplete antigen elimination problem of conventional methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the treatment approach from simple mechanical cell removal to a multi-step chemical treatment process involving defatting and crosslinking. This parameter change in the treatment methodology enables more complete antigen elimination by addressing multiple antigen sources including lipids and protein active groups.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If synthetic materials like Dacron or polytetrafluoroethylene are used for artificial blood vessels, then long-term smooth passage of blood is maintained, but chronic rejection and poor anticoagulation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure by coating synthetic or natural material substrates with anticoagulation components. This composite approach combines the structural integrity and durability of the base material with the biocompatibility and anticoagulation properties of the coating, resolving the contradiction between long-term durability and chronic rejection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies anticoagulation components specifically to the inner surface of the artificial blood vessel where blood contact occurs. This localized treatment provides anticoagulation and biocompatibility exactly where needed without compromising the overall structural properties of the vessel.
4Stability of the object's composition
If animal blood vessels are treated with glutaraldehyde fixation followed by defatting and cell removal, then the structure is stabilized, but toxic glutaraldehyde is slowly released after implantation inhibiting endothelial cell production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameter of the crosslinking agent from glutaraldehyde to epoxides. This substitution eliminates toxic aldehyde release while maintaining the crosslinking function that provides structural stabilization, and produces non-toxic polyols as degradation products.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The approach results in high stability, excellent biocompatibility, and long-term anticoagulation, facilitating endothelial cell growth and tissue regeneration, making it suitable for smaller diameters and reducing chronic immune rejection.
Implementation Method 1
When an epoxide is utilized, for example, proteins are crosslinked through the ring opening reaction of the epoxide
Implementation Method 2
The active coating contains anti-coagulation components
Implementation Method 3
The coating also contains specific polypeptides to adhere to growth factors, which have broad-spectrum adhesion and accumulation of blood growth factors, such as vessel endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF)
Data Source
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AI summary
A biological artificial blood vessel and the preparation method for producing the biological artificial blood vessel. The biological artificial blood vessel is composed of a substrate 1 made of an animal blood vessel, and a coating 2 bound on the inner surface of the substrate 1. The animal blood vessel is immobilized by crosslinking through an immobilizing agent and processed to remove antigens. The coating 2 contains anti-coagulation components. The preparation method for the biological artificial vessels comprises the steps of collecting blood vessels from animals as the substrate 1, performing processing, removing fat, immobilizing, eliminating antigens, and anti-coagulation modification to the substrate 1.