Influence of different stent materials on endothelialization in vitro.

Abstract

The objective of our study was to investigate the influence of different stent materials on endothelialization in vitro. Using the non-destructive Alamar Blue assay and scanning electron microscopy, we compared long-term growth and morphology of vascular cells on disks of three prospective stent materials, i.e., 316 L stainless steel, 18 K, and 24 K gold. Our results demonstrate superior human EC proliferative capacity on gold surfaces compared to that on 316 L stainless steel. Thus, both the hyperplasia and thrombotic complications which often follow stenting might be minimized by employing gold stents, which have a greater capacity than steel in supporting a functional neo-endothelium.