Dual biofunctional polymer modifications to address endothelialization and smooth muscle cell integration of ePTFE vascular grafts.

Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) grafts were coated on the luminal surface with a cell-adhesive fluorosurfactant (FSP) polymer to promote endothelialization, followed by ethanol hydration to degas the pores and subsequent cell-adhesive, enzymatically degradable poly(ethylene glycol)-based hydrogel incorporation into the graft interstices to accommodate potential smooth muscle cell integration in the graft wall. The FSP coating on ePTFE was stable as demonstrated by a significantly reduced receding water contact angle on FSP-coated ePTFE (14.5 ± 6.

Cross-reactivity of cell-selective CRRETAWAC peptide with human and porcine endothelial cells.

We report on the cross-reactivity of the cell adhesive peptide CRRETAWAC between human and porcine endothelial cells (ECs). CRRETAWAC is a phage display derived peptide which has been shown to bind the α5 β1 receptor on human ECs, but does not bind platelets and thus could be incorporated into a coating for cardiovascular biomaterials that resists platelet adhesion and thrombosis, while allowing for endothelialization. To determine the cross-reactivity of the peptide, attachment and growth of human and porcine ECs on CRRETAWAC fluorosurfactant polymer (FSP) coated surfaces was explored.