The regulation of endothelial cell (EC) and smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation following vascular interventions is critical to clinical efficacy. Just recently, a method was developed to impregnate biomaterials with suspensions containing bioactive proteins resulting in the capability of differentially modulating EC and SMC growth in vitro and in vivo following implantation. In order to minimize SMC proliferation, the effects of FGF-1, heparin, and thrombin concentrations on SMC growth are studied in vitro. In general, the results indicate the possibility of modulating the relative proliferative activity of ECs versus SMCs by altering the FG:heparin ratio.
