Preservation of Blood Vessels with an Oxygen Generating Composite

Damage caused by oxygen deficiency (hypoxia) is one of the major factors limiting tissue and organ preservation time. Cooling tissues slows down metabolic rate of cells thereby prolonging tissue and organ survival sufficiently to allow transport and transplantation within a few hours. Although metabolism is slowed, cells and some enzymes continue to consume oxygen that can render cold stored tissues hypoxic. Here, an oxygen-generating composite (OGC) with sustained oxygen release is reported for ex vivo blood vessel preservation. Aorta segments are cultured under hypothermia for 25 days in vascular preservation media. The presence of OGC increases cell viability from 9 +/- 6% to 96 +/- 3% and retains 65 +/- 8% of original KCl stimulated contractile force after 25 days compared with 25 +/- 4% in controls. Culture for 7 days in nitrogen demonstrates proof-of-concept for normothermic blood vessel preservation, OGC increases the cell viability from 45 +/- 15% to 78 +/- 2%, and KCl stimulates contractile force from 49 +/- 7% to 95 +/- 8%, respectively. Oxygen release materials then may have a role in augmenting current preservation techniques.