A vascular calcification model enabled by an ex vivo vascular calcification perfusion system

Abstract

Vascular calcification is a major feature of cardiovascular disease, but mechanistic studies are limited by slow and variable animal models and by ex vivo systems that insufficiently reflect physiological flow. Here, we established an ex vivo vascular calcification perfusion system and compared perfusion with static culture using an in vivo rabbit abdominal aortic calcification model as a pathological reference. Low serum combined with interleukin-17A rapidly induced vascular calcification within 7 days. Under normal culture conditions, the perfusion system preserved endothelial and smooth muscle integrity over 7 days. Static culture produced marked edge effects, excessive mineralization, and increased osteogenic marker expression, whereas perfusion maintained a more moderate calcification phenotype that more closely resembled the in vivo r eference. These findings support this model as a biologically relevant and controllable platform for studying vascular calcification mechanisms and evaluating potential interventions.