Biomimetic control of vascular smooth muscle cell morphology and phenotype for functional tissue-engineered small-diameter blood vessels.

Small-diameter blood vessel substitutes are urgently needed for patients requiring replacements of their coronary and below-the-knee vessels and for better arteriovenous dialysis shunts. Circulatory diseases, especially those arising from atherosclerosis, are the predominant cause of mortality and morbidity in the developed world. Current therapies include the use of autologous vessels or synthetic materials as vessel replacements.