Vascular grafts and valves that animate, made from decellularized biologically-engineered tissue tubes

Biologically-engineered matrix - a tissue that is grown in vitro from donor cells, decellularized, and stored prior to use as off-the-shelf allografts - offers a promising alternative to current cardiovascular biomaterials. This perspective reviews preclinical studies and clinical trials of vascular grafts and valves comprising biologically-engineered matrix, with a focus on those based on donor dermal fibroblast remodeling of fibrin gel with the capacity to heal and grow following recellularization, via animation of the matrix. It concludes with a discussion of related key clinical considerations.