Evolution of bioengineered blood vessels

Biotechnology Biotechnology approaches to repair and replace arteries have been under development for more than a century. Early synthetic approaches used rubber-based replacements, which then evolved into the use of polymer fabrics and, more recently, into biological approaches that permit the growth of blood vessels in the laboratory. Niklason and Lawson review the scientific and technological advances that allow the regeneration of a patient's own blood vessels. The authors discuss how blood vessel cells, when combined with suitable substrates for tissue growth under conditions that mimic human physiology, can produce functional bioengineered arteries. These biological approaches pave the way to advancing how vascular disease is managed and treated in the future. Science , this issue p. [eaaw8682][1] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aaw8682