Background.　To　provide　a　new　strategy　for　constructing　small　vascular　graft,　the　survival　conditions　of　endothelial　progenitor　cells　(EPCs),　which　were　seeded　on　two　different　groups　of　extracellular　matrix　(ECM)　scaffolds　were　studied　in　vitro.　Materials　and　Methods.　The　scaffold　was　made　with　a　mixture　of　fibrinogen,　fibronectin,　and　laminin,　which　solidified　to　form　unpressed　structure.　A　1N　force　could　make　it　to　be　pressed.　EPCs　induced　from　cultures　of　rat　mesenchymal　stem　cells　were　seeded　on　two　different　groups　of　ECM　scaffolds:　(1)　pressed　scaffolds;　and　(2)　unpressed　scaffolds.　The　survival　conditions　of　cells　on　the　two　groups　of　scaffolds　were　reflected　by　properties　below:　cell　attachment　and　proliferation　detected　by　cell　counting;　differentiation　of　EPCs　detected　by　changes　in　the　cell　morphology　and　the　expression　of　endothelial　marker　von　Willebrand　factor　(VWF)　using　inununofluorescence,　immunoblot,　and　real-time　PCR;　the　two　different　scaffolds　were　characterized　for　their　surface　ultra-structures　by　SEM,　and　torques　by　a　rheometer.　Results.　The　cells　grew　faster　on　the　pressed　scaffold　(P　＜　0.001)　for　the　first　7　d.　Furthermore,　cells　on　the　pressed　scaffolds　displayed　more　uniform　shapes　with　morphology　resembling　that　of　endothelial　cells　than　those　on　the　unpressed　scaffolds.　VWF　protein　expressions　were　also　higher　in　cells　from　the　pressed　scaffold.　Real-time　PCR　showed　correlated　changes　too.　In　addition,　the　pressed　scaffold　with　EPCs　showed　the　smallest　torque　value　among　all　scaffolds　(P　＜　0.01).　Conclusion.　Pressed　ECM-like　scaffold　promoted　the　survival　condition　of　EPC.　It　may　be　used　to　promote　endothelialization　within　the　next　generation　of　vascular　grafts　in　vivo.　(C)　2010　Elsevier　Inc.　All　rights　reserved.