Saeede Amani - Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
Rasoul Shahrooz - Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
Esmaeil Mortaz - Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Rahim Hobbenaghi - Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
Rahim Mohammadi - Department of Surgery and Diagnostic Imaging, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
Ali Baradar Khoshfetrat - Department of Chemical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

The aim of this study was to find a proper method for improvement of ischemic condition in the rat hind limb and also to observe the efficacy of cell engraftment with alginate/gelatin three-dimensional scaffolds. Eighteen male Wistar rats weighing ۲۰۰ to ۲۵۰ g were randomly divided into three groups (n = ۶) including a) ischemia group; in which femoral artery was removed after ligation at the distance of ۵ mm, b) scaffold group; in which hydrogel scaffold was added to the site of transected femoral artery and c) test group; in which in addition to hydrogel scaffold, mast cells (MCs) were also added (۱ × ۱۰۶ cells). Analysis of capillary density, artery diameter, histomorphometric parameters and immunohistochemistry in transected location were done on day ۱۴ after femoral artery transection. The average number of blood capillary was significantly higher in the test group than other groups. Also, the average number of medium and large blood vessels was significantly higher in the test group compared to ischemia and scaffold groups. Application of MCs through the use of hydrogel scaffolds (alginate/gelatin) can be considered as a new approach in the application of stem cells for therapeutic angiogenesis under ischemic conditions which can improve the angiogenesis process in patients with peripheral artery diseases.

Angiogenesis, Immunohistochemistry, Mast cell, Rat, Tissue engineering