Tissue-engineering bioreactors: a new combined cell-seeding and perfusion system for vascular tissue engineering

One approach to the tissue engineering of vascular structures is to develop in vitro conditions in order ultimately to fabricate functional vascular tissues before final implantation. In our experiment, we aimed to develop a new combined cell seeding and perfusion system that provides sterile conditions during cell seeding and biomechanical stimuli in order to fabricate autologous human vascular tissue in vitro. The cell seeding and perfusion system is made of Plexiglas and is completely transparent (Berlin Heart, Berlin, Germany; University Hospital Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany). The whole system consists of a cell seeding chamber that can be incorporated into the perfusion system and an air-driven respirator pump connected to the bioreactor. The cell culture medium continuously circulates through a closed-loop system. We thus developed a cell seeding device for static and dynamic seeding of vascular cells onto a polymeric vascular scaffold and a closed-loop perfused bioreactor for long-term vascular conditioning. The cell seeding chamber can be easily connected to the bioreactor, which combines continuous, pulsatile perfusion and mechanical stimulation to the tissue-engineered conduit. Adjusting the stroke volume, the stroke rate, and the inspiration/expiration time of the ventilator allows various pulsatile flows and different levels of pressure. The whole system is a highly isolated cell culture setting, which provides a high level of sterility and a gas supply and fits into a standard humidified incubator. The device can be sterilized by ethylene oxide and assembled with a standard screwdriver. Our newly developed combination of a cell seeding and conditioning device provides sterile conditions and biodynamic stimuli for controlled tissue development and in vitro conditioning of an autologous tissue-engineered vessel.     

Application of tissue-engineering principles toward the development of a semilunar heart valve substitute

Heart valve disease is a significant medical problem worldwide. Current treatment for heart valve disease is heart valve replacement. State of the art replacement heart valves are less than ideal and are associated with significant complications. Using the basic principles of tissue engineering, promising alternatives to current replacement heart valves are being developed. Significant progress has been made in the development of a tissue-engineered semilunar heart valve substitute. Advancements include the development of different potential cell sources and cell-seeding techniques; advancements in matrix and scaffold development and in polymer chemistry fabrication; and the development of a variety of bioreactors, which are biomimetic devices used to modulate the development of tissue-engineered neotissue in vitro through the application of biochemical and biomechanical stimuli. This review addresses the need for a tissue-engineered alternative to the current heart valve replacement options. The basics of heart valve structure and function, heart valve disease, and currently available heart valve replacements are discussed. The last 10 years of investigation into a tissue-engineered heart valve as well as current developments are reviewed. Finally, the early clinical applications of cardiovascular tissue engineering are presented.     

The role of collagen cross-links in biomechanical behavior of human aortic heart valve leaflets--relevance for tissue engineering

A major challenge in tissue engineering of functional heart valves is to determine and mimic the dominant tissue structures that regulate heart valve function and in vivo survival. In native heart valves, the anisotropic matrix architecture assures sustained and adequate functioning under high-pressure conditions. Collagen, being the main load-bearing matrix component, contributes significantly to the biomechanical strength of the tissue. This study investigates the relationship between collagen content, collagen cross-links, and biomechanical behavior in human aortic heart valve leaflets and in tissue-engineered constructs. In the main loading direction (circumferential) of native valve leaflets, a significant positive linear correlation between modulus of elasticity and collagen cross-link concentration was found, whereas no correlation between modulus of elasticity and collagen content was found. Similar findings were observed in tissue-engineered constructs, where cross-link concentration was higher for dynamically strained constructs then for statically cultured controls. These findings suggest a dominant role for collagen cross-links over collagen content with respect to biomechanical tissue behavior in human heart valve leaflets. They further suggest that dynamic tissue straining in tissue engineering protocols can enhance cross-link concentration and biomechanical function.     

Fabrication of mitral valve chordae by directed collagen gel shrinkage

The principles of tissue engineering are being used to explore numerous applications in reconstructive surgery. Mitral valve chordae are one such potential area, as mitral valve repair is increasing in popularity and synthetic materials have not been used widely. The use of cells, combined with reconstituted type I collagen, is an attractive option for fabricating materials for the replacement of thin tendonous structures such as mitral valve chordae. We have been using the principle of directed collagen gel shrinkage to fabricate tendinous structures with good mechanical properties. In this study, our objective was to maximize the strength of the collagen constructs by choosing cell type and optimizing cell-seeding density, culture time, and initial collagen concentration. A collagen-cell suspension was cast into silicone rubber wells with microporous anchors at the ends and cultured in an incubator. The anchors allowed shrinkage to occur only transverse to the long axis of the wells, thus creating highly aligned collagenous constructs. Collagen gel contraction increased with higher cell-seeding density. The optimal value was 10(6) cells/mL. The rate of gel contraction decreased with the initial collagen concentration. Fibril density increased with culture time, as the gel contracted. After the system was optimized, the mechanical strength of the constructs increased to 1.1 MPa, a value at least an order of magnitude greater than previously published results with similar systems. This study has demonstrated that collagen-cell constructs, with material properties similar to those of native mitral valve chordae, can be developed using the principle of directed collagen gel shrinkage. These structures may have application in other areas that require small-diameter tendons.     

Fabrication of tubular tissue constructs by centrifugal casting of cells suspended in an in situ crosslinkable hyaluronan-gelatin hydrogel

Achieving the optimal cell density and desired cell distribution in scaffolds is a major goal of cell seeding technologies in tissue engineering. In order to reach this goal, a novel centrifugal casting technology was developed using in situ crosslinkable hyaluronan-based (HA) synthetic extracellular matrix (sECM). Living cells were suspended in a viscous solution of thiol-modified HA and thiol-modified gelatin, a polyethyleneglycol diacrylate crosslinker was added, and a hydrogel was formed during rotation. The tubular tissue constructs consisting of a densely packed cell layer were fabricated with the rotation device operating at 2000 rpm for 10 min. The majority of cells suspended in the HA mixture before rotation were located inside the layer after centrifugal casting. Cells survived the effect of the centrifugal forces experienced under the rotational regime employed. The volume cell density (65.6%) approached the maximal possible volume density based on theoretical sphere packing models. Thus, centrifugal casting allows the fabrication of tubular constructs with the desired redistribution, composition and thickness of cell layers that makes the maximum efficient use of available cells. Centrifugal casting in this sECM would enable rapid fabrication of tissue-engineered vascular grafts, as well as other tubular and planar tissue-engineered constructs.     

New pulsatile bioreactor for fabrication of tissue-engineered patches.

To date, one approach to tissue engineering has been to develop in vitro conditions to ultimately fabricate functional cardiovascular structures prior to final implantation. In our current experiment, we developed a new pulsatile flow system that provides biochemical and biomechanical signals to regulate autologous patch-tissue development in vitro. The newly developed patch bioreactor is made of Plexiglas and is completely transparent (Mediport Kardiotechnik, Berlin). The bioreactor is connected to an air-driven respirator pump, and the cell culture medium continuously circulates through a closed-loop system. We thus developed a closed-loop, perfused bioreactor for long-term patch-tissue conditioning, which combines continuous, pulsatile perfusion and mechanical stimulation by periodically stretching the tissue-engineered patch constructs. By adjusting the stroke volume, the stroke rate, and the inspiration/expiration time of the ventilator, it allows various pulsatile flows and different levels of pressure. The whole system is a highly isolated cell culture setting, which provides a high level of sterility, gas supply, and fits into a standard humidified incubator. The bioreactor can be sterilized by ethylene oxide and assembled with a standard screwdriver. Our newly developed bioreactor provides optimal biomechanical and biodynamical stimuli for controlled tissue development and in vitro conditioning of an autologous tissue-engineered patch.Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A collagen-glycosaminoglycan co-culture model for heart valve tissue engineering applications

In order to develop efficient design strategies for a tissue-engineered heart valve, in vivo and in vitro models of valvular structure and cellular function require extensive characterisation. Collagen and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) provide unique functional characteristics to the heart valve structure. In the current study, type I collagen-GAG hydrogels were investigated as biomaterials for the creation of mitral valve tissue. Porcine mitral valve interstitial cells (VICs) and endothelial cells (VECs) were isolated and co-cultured for 4 weeks in hydrogel constructs composed of type I collagen. The metabolic activity and tissue organisation of mitral valve tissue constructs was evaluated in the presence and absence of chondroitin sulphate (CS) GAG, and comparisons were made with normal mitral valve tissue. Both collagen and collagen-CS mitral valve constructs contracted to form tissue-like structures in vitro. Biochemical assay demonstrated that over 75% of CS was retained within collagen-CS constructs. Morphological examination demonstrated enhanced VEC surface coverage in collagen-CS constructs compared to collagen constructs. Ultrastructural analysis revealed basement membrane synthesis and cell junction formation by construct VECs, with an increased matrix porosity observed in collagen-CS constructs. Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated enhanced extracellular matrix production in collagen-CS constructs, including expression of elastin and laminin by VICs. Both native valve and collagen-CS construct VECs also expressed the vasoactive molecule, eNOS, which was absent from collagen construct VECs. The present study demonstrates that collagen gels can be used as matrices for the in vitro synthesis of tissue structures resembling mitral valve tissue. Addition of CS resulting in a more porous model was shown to positively influence the bioactivity of seeded valve cells and tissue remodelling. Collagen-GAG matrices may hold promise for a potential use in heart valve tissue engineering and improved understanding of heart valve biology.     

A new semi-automatic endothelial cell seeding technique for biological prosthetic heart valves

BACKGROUND: Until today, tissue heart valve prostheses have been made with biological dead porcine or bovine tissue. However, the durability of this tissue is limited due to degeneration and calcification. Surface seeding with vital human endothelial cells (EC) could improve valve durability and bio-compatibility. A new seeding technique that includes a newly developed special seeding device is presented here. METHODS: The aortic valve, including a cylinder of the aortic root, was prepared from a fresh porcine heart taken from the slaughterhouse. Porcine endothelial cells were removed by surface treatment with chemical detergent solutions. A new seeding device with an integrated CO2-incubator was designed. The device is composed of: the seeding chamber (SC), the rotation unit (RU), and the Control Unit (CU). The porcine aortic root cylinder with the valve leaflets is placed into the SC. A matrix of fibronectin is applied to the acellular valve. The SC is then filled with the endothelial cells suspended in modified Dulbecco's eagle medium (DMEM). Under cell culture conditions, the endothelial cell seeding of the tissue valve is established by rotating the valve around two orthogonal axes simultaneously and independently. This is done following the software controlled preset parameters. RESULTS: Using initial endothelial cell seeding concentrations of 6x10(6) endothelial cells/ml DMEM, it was possible to achieve a seeding efficiency of 80-85% within 3-4 hrs. Cell viability tests proved that 90-95% of the seeded endothelial cells are vital after the seeding procedure. CONCLUSIONS: This new seeding technique allows the complex warped surface of a tissue heart valve to be covered with vital endothelial cells to form a confluent endothelial cell monolayer.     

Creation of myocardial tubes using cardiomyocyte sheets and an in vitro cell sheet-wrapping device

Regenerative medicine involving injection of isolated cells and transplantation of tissue-engineered myocardial patches, has received significant attention as an alternative method to repair damaged heart muscle. In the present study, as the next generation of myocardial tissue engineering we demonstrate the in vitro fabrication of pulsatile myocardial tubes using cell sheet engineering technologies. Three neonatal rat cardiomyocyte sheets, which were harvested from temperature-responsive culture dishes, were wrapped around fibrin tubes using a novel cell sheet-wrapping device. The tubular constructs demonstrated spontaneous, synchronized pulsation within 3h after cell sheet wrapping. Contractile force measurements showed that the contractile force increased in accordance with both increasing rest length (Starling mechanism) and increasing extracellular Ca(2+) concentration. Furthermore, the tissue-engineered myocardial tubes presented measurable inner pressure changes evoked by tube contraction (0.11+/-0.01mmHg, max 0.15mmHg, n=5). Histological analyses revealed both well-differentiated sarcomeres and diffuse gap junctions within the myocardial tissues that resembled native cardiac muscle. These data indicate that tissue-engineered myocardial tubes have native heart-like structure and function. These new myocardial tissue constructs should be useful for future applications in physiological studies and pharmacological screening, and present a possible core technology for the creation of engineered tissues capable of independent cardiac assistance.     

New pulsatile bioreactor for in vitro formation of tissue engineered heart valves

Two potential obstacles to the creation of implantable tissue engineered heart valves are inadequate mechanical properties (ability to withstand hemodynamic stresses) and adverse host-tissue reactions due to the presence of residual nondegraded polymer scaffold. In an attempt to address these problems, we developed an in vitro cell culture system that provides physiological pressure and flow of nutrient medium to the developing valve constructs. It is anticipated that in vitro physical stress will stimulate the tissue engineered heart valve construct to develop adequate strength prior to a possible implantation. Long-term in vitro development will be realized by an isolated and thereby contamination-resistant system. Longer in vitro development will potentially enable more complete biodegradation of the polymeric scaffold during in vitro cultivation. This new dynamic bioreactor allows for adjustable pulsatile flow and varying levels of pressure. The system is compact and easily fits into a standard cell incubator, representing a highly isolated dynamic cell culture setting with maximum sterility, optimal gas supply and stable temperature conditions especially suited for long-term experiments.     

Progress in developing a living human tissue-engineered tri-leaflet heart valve assembled from tissue produced by the self-assembly approach

The aortic heart valve is constantly subjected to pulsatile flow and pressure gradients which, associated with cardiovascular risk factors and abnormal hemodynamics (i.e. altered wall shear stress), can cause stenosis and calcification of the leaflets and result in valve malfunction and impaired circulation. Available options for valve replacement include homograft, allogenic or xenogenic graft as well as the implantation of a mechanical valve. A tissue-engineered heart valve containing living autologous cells would represent an alternative option, particularly for pediatric patients, but still needs to be developed. The present study was designed to demonstrate the feasibility of using a living tissue sheet produced by the self-assembly method, to replace the bovine pericardium currently used for the reconstruction of a stented human heart valve. In this study, human fibroblasts were cultured in the presence of sodium ascorbate to produce tissue sheets. These sheets were superimposed to create a thick construct. Tissue pieces were cut from these constructs and assembled together on a stent, based on techniques used for commercially available replacement valves. Histology and transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that the fibroblasts were embedded in a dense extracellular matrix produced in vitro. The mechanical properties measured were consistent with the fact that the engineered tissue was resistant and could be cut, sutured and assembled on a wire frame typically used in bioprosthetic valve assembly. After a culture period in vitro, the construct was cohesive and did not disrupt or disassemble. The tissue engineered heart valve was stimulated in a pulsatile flow bioreactor and was able to sustain multiple duty cycles. This prototype of a tissue-engineered heart valve containing cells embedded in their own extracellular matrix and sewn on a wire frame has the potential to be strong enough to support physiological stress. The next step will be to test this valve extensively in a bioreactor and at a later date, in a large animal model in order to assess in vivo patency of the graft.     

组织工程心脏瓣膜支架材料的选择与应用

背景：支架材料的选择在组织工程心脏瓣膜中起着至关重要的作用,支架材料的选择也就影响着组织工程心脏瓣膜的构建效果。 目的：评价组织工程心脏瓣膜支架材料的的优缺点,并对其选择进行总结。 方法：以 “组织工程,心脏瓣膜,支架材料,生物相容性”,为中文关键词;以:“tissue engineering,heart valves, scaffold material, biocompatibility” 为英文关键词,采用计算机检索1993-01/2009-10相关文章。纳入与有关生物材料与组织工程心脏瓣膜的相关的文章;排除重复研究及Meta分析类文章。 结果与结论：人工合成高分子材料有更大的可控性,可预先塑性,大量制备,孔径和孔隙率较容易控制,成本低廉;天然生物材料和合成高分子材料都存在一定不足,将人工可降解材料与天然材料相结合构建瓣膜支架,发挥两者各自的优势构建出性能良好的组织工程心脏瓣膜。组织工程心脏瓣膜的研究前景广阔。但距离临床应用还有很长的路要走,相信随着研究的不断深入以及支架材料的不断优化对组织工程心脏瓣膜构建方法的改进,在不远的将来造福于广大心脏瓣膜病患者。     

JMM, past and present. Cysticerci cellulosae of the brain. 1864

While striving to serve the needs of the international biomedical community of today, we would also like to remember JMM's long past as a venue for medical research. JMM is the successor to the Berlin Clinical Weekly (Berliner Klinische Wochenschrift), established in 1864. Below are excerpts from the Berlin Clinical Weekly's May issue from a hundred and thirty-five years ago, giving hints about the challenges and solutions being addressed by medical research of the time. Following the excerpt is a commentary by Martin Zeitz and Thomas Schneider, experts in gastroenterology at the University Clinic Benjamin Franklin in Berlin, Germany.     

Characterization of statically loaded tissue-engineered mitral valve chordae tendineae

Chordae tendineae are essential to the proper function of the mitral valve. Native chordae contain a dense collagenous core and an outer elastin sheath. We have been using the principle of directed collagen gel shrinkage to fabricate tissue-engineered mitral valve chordae. Because the microstructure of biologic tissues determines their mechanical behavior, the morphology of collagen and elastin in tissue-engineered chordae should mimic that of native chordae. The objective of this study, therefore, was to examine the morphology of our tissue-engineered constructs in comparison to native chordae. A collagen-cell suspension was cast into silicon rubber wells with microporous anchors at the ends and cultured in an incubator. The anchors allowed shrinkage to occur only transverse to the long axis of the wells, thus creating highly aligned collagen fibril constructs. The collagen constructs were cultured for 8 weeks and characterized mechanically, histologically, and biochemically at different culture time points. Histologic sections showed that in all mature constructs collagen fibers were oriented parallel to the long axis of the constructs. At the edge of the tissue collagen fibers were in general straight, whereas in the middle of the tissue they were wavy. Transmission electron microscopy showed a progressive increase in the density and longitudinal orientation of collagen fibrils with culture time. Light and scanning electron microscopy showed the presence of an elastin sheath around the collagen core. Immunostaining demonstrated that smooth muscle cells differentiate during tissue development and TUNEL assay showed that cells in the interior of the constructs undergo apoptosis. This study has demonstrated that collagen-cell constructs, with material properties and microstructure similar to native mitral valve chordae, can be developed using static culture.     

Tissue-engineered heart valve leaflets: an animal study.

BACKGROUND: Tissue-engineered heart valve leaflets are a promising way to overcome the inherent limitations of current prosthetic valves. The aim of this study was to compare the biological responses of an autologous cell seeded scaffold and an acellular scaffold implanted in the pulmonary valve leaflet in the same animal. METHODS: Myofibroblasts and endothelial cells were isolated and cultured from an ovine artery. A synthetic biodegradable scaffold consisting of polyglycolic acid and polylactic acid was initially seeded with the myofibroblasts, then coated with endothelial cells. Cells were seeded using a medium containing collagen and cultured. A tissue-engineered construct and a plain scaffold were implanted as double pulmonary valve leaflet replacement in the same animal in an ovine model (n=3). Additionally, the tissue-engineered construct (n=2) and the plain scaffold (n=2) were implanted as single valve leaflet replacements for long-term analysis. After sacrifice, the implanted valve leaflet tissues were retrieved, analyzed visually and using light microscopy. RESULTS: Three animals that underwent replacement of two valve leaflets with a tissue-engineered construct and a plain scaffold, survived only a short-time (12, 24, 36 hours). The death was attributed to heart failure caused by severe pulmonary insufficiency. Animals that underwent single valve leaflet replacement survived longer and were electively sacrificed at 6 and 9 weeks after operation. The analysis of the leaflets from the short-term survivors showed that the tissue-engineered constructs contained less fibrins and protein exudates than the plain scaffold. In contrast, leaflets obtained from animals surviving 6 and 9 weeks showed similar well organized granulation tissues in the tissue-engineered constructs and the plain scaffolds. CONCLUSION: This animal experiment demonstrates that in the early phase of implantation, the tissue-engineered construct shows a better biological response in terms of antithrombogenicity than the plain scaffold, although both of them have similar results in the later reparative phase.     

组织工程心脏瓣膜的构建：现状与前景

背景：目前临床上应用的心脏生物瓣和机械瓣都存在一些缺陷和不足,而组织工程心脏瓣膜有可能避免这些问题的出现,成为瓣膜替代物的理想选择。 目的：探讨构建组织工程心脏瓣膜的实验研究进展。 方法：应用数据库检索的方法分析关于组织工程心脏瓣膜的实验研究文献,组织工程心脏瓣膜的三大要素为种子细胞、支架材料和细胞种植。 结果与结论：心脏瓣膜修复和置换是目前治疗心脏瓣膜性疾病的主要外科手段。目前,主要用于构建组织工程心脏瓣膜的种子细胞有血管内皮细胞、内皮祖细胞以及骨髓间充质干细胞等。经脱细胞处理的支架具有良好的生物力学性能和组织相容性,细胞种植后支架表面会形成一层连续的细胞层,其构建的组织工程心脏瓣膜是可行的。组织工程心脏瓣膜有着良好的应用前景,但目前还有很多问题需要解决,还处于研究的初级阶段。 中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：组织构建;骨细胞;软骨细胞;细胞培养;成纤维细胞;血管内皮细胞;骨质疏松;组织工程全文链接：     

组织工程心脏瓣膜研究进展

目前组织工程心脏瓣膜研究已在支架的选材、种子细胞的选择、种子细胞的种植与瓣膜构建方法三个方面取得进展,并已构建出三种代表性组织工程心脏瓣膜。对它们各自的特点进行综述。     

脂肪间充质干细胞分化为内皮细胞并体外构建组织工程心脏瓣膜

背景：组织工程心脏瓣膜是利用组织工程技术将种子细胞种植于瓣膜支架上所构建的一种人工瓣膜,目前国内外研究主要集中于种子细胞来源及支架选择上。 目的：探讨人脂肪间充质干细胞体外向内皮细胞诱导分化后的细胞作为种子细胞,脱细胞猪主动脉瓣膜作为支架体外构建组织工程心脏瓣膜的可行性。 方法：利用吸脂术采集脂肪组织,分离、培养脂肪间充质干细胞,流式细胞仪鉴定细胞表型;免疫细胞化学方法及RT-PCR检测细胞分化标志物;应用Triton X-100联合胰蛋白酶的方法制备脱细胞猪主动脉瓣支架,将体外培养扩增的诱导分化后的内皮细胞种植于支架上构建组织工程心脏瓣膜,光镜及电镜下观察组织工程心脏瓣膜的组织学结构。 结果与结论：脂肪组织分离培养的脂肪间充质干细胞向内皮细胞诱导分化后表达CD31、CD34、CD144、Ⅷ因子和内皮型一氧化氮合成酶等内皮细胞特异性抗原;脱细胞猪主动脉瓣膜支架脱细胞完全,弹力纤维及胶原纤维保持完整;构建的组织工程心脏瓣膜可见支架上排列连续的单细胞层。提示脂肪间充质干细胞在体外向内皮细胞诱导分化后已初步具有内皮细胞功能,在脱细胞猪主动脉瓣膜支架上生长良好,可以在体外初步构建组织工程心脏瓣膜。     

组织工程心脏瓣膜支架材料的研究和展望

背景：当前应用于临床的生物瓣和机械瓣都存在着一定缺陷,而组织工程心脏瓣膜将避免这些问题成为理想的生物瓣膜替代物。 目的：综述近年来组织工程心脏瓣膜支架材料的研究进展及面临的问题。 方法：应用计算机检索1990至2011年万方数据库相关文章,检索词为“组织工程,心脏瓣膜,支架材料”,并限定文章语言种类为中文。同时计算机检索1990至2011年 PubMed数据库相关文章,检索词为“tissue engineering,heart valve,scaffold materials”,并限定文章语言种类为English。共检索到文献147篇,最终纳入符合标准的文献61篇。 结果与结论：人工心脏瓣膜置换是目前治疗心脏瓣膜性病变的主要外科治疗手段,但现有机械瓣和生物瓣都不是理想的心脏瓣膜置换物,在耐久性,增长潜力,相容性,抗感染方面有着显著的缺陷。组织工程心脏瓣膜是一个活体器官,并具有和自体心脏瓣膜同样的生长,修复和重建能力,这一新概念的提出为构建理想的心脏瓣替换物带来了希望。     

Enhancement of mesenchymal stem cell attachment to decellularized porcine aortic valve scaffold by in vitro coating with antibody against CD90: a preliminary study on antibody-modified tissue-engineered heart valve

The importance of cell adhesion to the scaffold in the tissue-engineered heart valve remains to be determined. The current study examined the feasibility of conjugating antibody against CD90 to a decellularized porcine aortic valve scaffold and binding mesenchymal stem cells to that scaffold through interaction with a cell surface antigen. After decellularization, the porcine aortic valve was reacted with biotin, avidin, and biotinylated anti-rat CD90 antibody sequentially and inserted into a laminar flow system used to test the effect of laminar shear stress. Rat bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) were injected and circulated in a flow system to study the ability of anti-CD90 antibody to trap and immobilize cells on the valve surface. The results demonstrated that anti-CD90 antibody on the valve surface remains bound, even under high shear conditions. Compared with the control valve (no antibody), the modified (antibody-coated) valve immobilized significantly more rat BMSC (p < 0.05). Thus, the avidin-biotin system can be used to attach anti-CD90 antibody to these valves, and the bound antibody can immobilize rat BMSC in a flow chamber, suggesting that antibody-modified scaffolds might be used to fabricate shear stress-resistant, tissue-engineered heart valves.