Decellularized human placenta chorion matrix as a favorable source of small-diameter vascular grafts Karl Heinrich Schneider a,b,⇑ , Petra Aigner a,b,c , Wolfgang Holnthoner a,b , Xavier Monforte b,c , Sylvia Nürnberger b,d,e , Dominik Rünzler b,c , Heinz Redl a,b , Andreas Herbert Teuschl b,c a Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Experimental and Clinical Traumatology/AUVA Research Center, Vienna, Austria b Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Austria c Department of Biochemical Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, Vienna, Austria d Bernhard Gottlieb University Clinic of Dentistry, Universitätsklinik für Zahn-, Mund- und Kieferheilkunde Ges.m.b.H, Vienna, Austria e Medical University of Vienna, Department of Trauma Surgery, Vienna, Austria article info Article history: Received 28 April 2015 Received in revised form 21 August 2015 Accepted 28 September 2015 Available online xxxx Keywords: Decellularized matrix Human placenta Vascular grafts Recellularization abstract Biomaterials based on decellularized tissues are increasingly attracting attention as functional alterna- tives to other natural or synthetic materials. However, a source of non-cadaver human allograft material would be favorable. Here we establish a decellularization method of vascular tissue from cryopreserved human placenta chorionic plate starting with an initial freeze–thaw step followed by a series of chemical treatments applied with a custom-made perfusion system. This novel pulsatile perfusion set-up enabled us to successfully decellularize the vascular tissue with lower concentrations of chemicals and shorter exposure times compared to a non-perfusion process. The decellularization procedure described here lead to the preservation of the native extracellular matrix architecture and the removal of cells. Quantitative analysis revealed no significant changes in collagen content and a retained glycosaminogly- can content of approximately 29%. In strain-to-failure tests, the decellularized grafts showed similar mechanical behavior compared to native controls. In addition, the mechanical values for ultimate tensile strength and stiffness were in an acceptable range for in vivo applications. Furthermore, biocompatibility of the decellularized tissue and its recellularizationability to serve as an adequate substratum for upcom- ing recellularization strategies using primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was demonstrated. HUVECs cultured on the decellularized placenta vessel matrix performed endothelializa- tion and maintained phenotypical characteristics and cell specific expression patterns. Overall, the decel- lularized human placenta vessels can be a versatile tool for experimental studies on vascularization and as potent graft material for future in vivo applications. Statement of significance In the US alone more than 1 million vascular grafts are needed in clinical practice every year. Despite sev- ere disadvantages, such as donor site morbidity, autologous grafting from the patient’s own arteries or veins is regarded as the gold standard for vascular tissue repair. Besides, strategies based on synthetic or natural materials have shown limited success. Tissue engineering approaches based on decellularized tissues are regarded as a promising alternative to clinically used treatments to overcome the observed limitations. However, a source for supply of non-cadaver human allograft material would be favorable. Here, we established a decellularization method of vascular tissue from the human placenta chorionic plate, a suitable human tissue source of consistent quality. The decellularized human placenta vessels can be a potent graft material for future in vivo applications and furthermore might be a versatile tool for experimental studies on vascularization. Ó 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2015.09.038 1742-7061/Ó 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. ⇑ Corresponding author at: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Experimental and Clinical Traumatology/AUVA Research Center, Donaueschingenstrasse 13, 1200 Vienna, Austria. E-mail address: karl.schneider@trauma.lbg.ac.at (K.H. Schneider). Acta Biomaterialia xxx (2015) xxx–xxx Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Acta Biomaterialia journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/actabiomat Please cite this article in press as: K.H. Schneider et al., Decellularized human placenta chorion matrix as a favorable source of small-diameter vascular grafts, Acta Biomater. (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2015.09.038