A variety of experiments of endothelial cell seeding onto artificial vessels have been performed. To improve endothelialization, one or two components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) have been used as an underlying matrix. In this study, the whole ECM excreted from fibroblasts was used as an underlying matrix. Fetal human fibroblasts were cultured on a polyurethane (PU) sheet. After a conflu; ence was attained, the cytoskeleton and the nuclei of the fibroblast were destroyed using Triton-X. Mitomycin, or irradiation. Omental microvascular endothelial cells from adult human were seeded onto various substrates. After 12 days in culture, the cells were counted. It was observed that the ECM treated by irradiation had the highest cell number. In addition, the cells on this substrate exhibited the most typical endothelial cell morphology. For preliminary animal experiments the PU vessels (inner diameter, 1.5mm) coated with ECM were implanted in the infrarena] abdominal aorta of rat. After the vessels had been implanted for 5 weeks, it was found that the surface of the PU vessels was completely covered with endothelia] cells. In conclusion, we can state that the fibroblast-derived whole ECM makes a better underlying substrate for the endothelialization of small diameter artificial vessels.