[Distribution of glycoconjugates in the arterial wall following contact with alloplastic materials: morphologic study and biochemistry of glycosamino-glycurono-glycans].

The infrarenal aortas of dogs were replaced with Woven Dacron prosthesis for the purpose of studying the structural and molecular modifications of the arterial wall in contact with the prosthetic material. After removal, the graft and its host arteries were submitted to biochemical analysis of glycosamino-glycurono-glycans (GAG) and to morphological analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Biochemical results demonstrated that the tissues growing within the prosthesis had a similar composition to intimal-media layers of normal arterial walls, but had a different distribution, especially of hyaluronic acid whose anionic character is enhanced. In opposition the tissue surrounding the grafts had a distribution of GAG similar of cicatrization tissues. Nevertheless SEM studies of the internal surface of the grafts demonstrated only the presence of fibroblastic cells without endothelial cells.