A human model for study of blood-vascular wall interactions. I. Description and demonstration of use of the model.

We fashioned a model for the study of interactions of human blood cells with human vascular wall components. It consists of a segment of human umbilical cord vein formed into a closed loop. The lumen of the vein is filled with anticoagulated platelet-rich plasma propelled through the loop by a peristaltic pump. The results of the present study demonstrated that various degrees of mechanical injury to umbilical vein intimal components result in adhesion and aggregation of platelets. Platelet adhesion can be measured by use of radioisotope-labeled platelets in the model. Other injuries to vascular wall components, such as those produced by occlusive hemostats or punctures of the vascular wall by stylets or needles, demonstrated a striking retention of platelets at the sites of injury as measured by gamma-ray counting and as viewed by scanning electron microscopy.