Biopolymeric Scaffold obtained by Electrospinning for Intima Vessel regeneration

Atherosclerosis is the main cause of death in Western countries for coronary heart disease or stroke; the disease process is progressive and typically starts at an early age and is expressed clinically during the middle and old age. It's a multifactorial disease that, to become clinically manifest, requires the formation of a plaque fibro-lipid within the wall of an artery that reduces blood flow. The formation of advanced atherosclerotic lesions is the consequence of three processes: 1) the accumulation of lipids, mainly cholesteryl esters and free cholesterol, in the space subendothelium of the arteries; 2) the establishment of an inflammatory infiltration of lymphocytes and macrophages, engulfing lipids accumulated, they become foam cells (foam cells); 3) migration and proliferation of smooth muscle cells (smooth muscle cells †" SMC) Despite the term "atherosclerosis" derives from the greek à£there, "mush" and sclerosis,"hardening",it is important to emphasize that the injury could be a great variability in tissue formed because of the prevalence of each of the three processes.Consequently, some atherosclerotic lesions appear predominantly dense and fibrous, others can contain large amounts of lipid and necrotic debris, while most have combinations and variations of each of these characteristics. The distribution of lipids and connective tissue within the lesions determines the stability, the ease to rupture and thrombosis, with consequent clinical effects. The purpose of the following doctoral work is part of the European project "THE GRAIL" ( Tissue in Host Engineering Guided Regeneration of Arterial Intimal Layer Grant nr 278557) whose purpose is to regenerate diseased arteries by removing the inner Atherosclerotic plaque and substituting it with a temporary scaffold referred to as Synthetic Intimal Layer(SIL),that will lead to the regeneration of an intimal layer. In particular, the project will be focused on the realization of a selectively porous, resorbable and preshaped scaffold made by Electrospinning, based on recombinant Elastin Like Polymers and a copolymer made by conjugation of ELP with silk. This two types of scaffold will be deployed once in contact with healthy medial layer of arterie as a new internal elastic lamina.