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Figure 1. Vasocontractile responses to endothelin showing the presence of different receptors on the various vascular constructs. Tissue-engineered vascular media (TEVM) composed of a four-layer-rolled sheet of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), Tissue-engineered vascular adventitia (TEVA) composed of a four-layer-rolled sheet of fibroblast cells, and tissue-engineered vascular media + adventitia (TEVMA) composed of a rolled-sheet comprising two layers of VSMCs and two layers of fibroblasts cells. Cumulative concentration–effect curves of ET-1 (A), ET-2 (B) and ET-3 (C) producing contractions (% maximal response, Emax obtained with 3 mM ATP). Albeit maximal response was not reached, Emax for ET-3 was set from the responses of TEVM and TEVMA to the highest dose (10–6M) of the agonist used in the present study. Data points are the mean results of five separate rings from different TEVM, TEVA, or TEVMA constructs. Vertical bars represent SEM. *P < 0.01, significantly different from control using Student’s unpaired t test.
