Construction of an artificial blood vessel wall from cultured endothelial and smooth muscle cells.

Cloned bovine endothelial cells were grown on a preformed layer of cultured rat smooth muscle cells that contained large amounts of connective tissue proteins. The successful growth of the endothelial cells was dependent upon the addition of more than 2.5 x 10(4) cells per cm2, and the final density reached was approximately 2.5 times higher than that obtained for the same cells growing on plastic. The endothelial cells anchored more firmly to the smooth muscle cells than to plastic, and electron microscopy showed the existence of an irregular, dense, basal lamina-like structure between the two cell types. Biochemical analysis of the lamina produced by the endothelial cells in isolation demonstrated the presence of collagen and two fucosylated glycoproteins. The structure produced, which has some of the characteristics of a blood vessel wall, was stable for several months in culture and has many potential applications.