The Effect of Different Thawing Rates on Cryopreserved Human Iliac Arteries Allograft’s Structural Damage and Mechanical Properties
Table 2
Scoring system used for the morphological analysis of the cryopreserved human iliac arteries allograft.
Score
Morphology
1
Morphologically intact endothelium—putative physiological changes are not reflected in the superficial morphology of endothelial cells
2
Confluent endothelium with structural inhomogeneity—irregularities in the form of individual cells and changes of their membranes are detectable
3
Disruption of intercellular contacts—continuity of endothelial coverage is lost, and endotheliocytes shrink while still adhering to basal membrane
4
Separation of endothelial cells—endotheliocytes separated from the basal lamina. Initially, they protrude by their intercellular edges into the lumen
5
Complete loss of endothelium—denudation of the endothelial covering with the basal lamina exposed
6
Damage of subendothelial layers—the luminal surface is covered only by remnants of basal membrane, and the fiber structure of the lamina fibrosa and the lamina ventricularis may be dissolved