Rheological measurement of blood coagulation in vascular vessel model tube consisting of endothelial cells monolayer

An in vitro experimental system was developed to study the interaction between endothelial cells and blood as an early event in coagulation. A designed vascular vessel model tube is composed of a monolayer of bovine aorta endothelial cells (BAECs) cultured on an inner surface of a glass tube by means of a rotatory cultivation method. The change of fluidity during coagulation of blood in the tube was measured by a rheological technique. The rate of coagulation of blood in contact with endothelial cells was affected by cell culture conditions such as cell age, passage number of BAECs and substrate beneath endothelial cells. Fibrinolytic activity of the cells was examined by the rheological method. The present experimental system would be useful in examining the mechanism of blood coagulation based on the interaction between blood and endothelial cells as well as in evaluating endothelial cell functions.