2010 Volume No 20 – pages 356-366
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Title: Promoting external inosculation of prevascularised tissue constructs by pre-cultivation in an angiogenic extracellular matrix |
Author: MW Laschke, H Mussawy, S Schuler, D Eglin, M Alini, MD Menger |
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Address: Institute for Clinical & Experimental Surgery, University of Saarland, D-66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany |
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E-mail: matthias.laschke at uniklinik-saarland.de |
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Key Words: Tissue engineering, inosculation, scaffold, Matrigel, vascularisation, angiogenesis, dorsal skinfold chamber, intravital fluorescence microscopy |
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Publication date: December 10th 2010 |
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Abstract: The engineering of preformed microvessels offers the promising opportunity to rapidly vascularise implanted tissue constructs by the process of inosculation. Herein, we analyzed whether this process may further be accel-erated by cultivation of prevascularised tissue constructs in Matrigel before implantation. Nano-size hydroxyapatite particles/poly(ester-urethane) scaffolds were implanted into the flank of FVB/N-TgN (Tie2/GFP) 287 Sato mice to allow the ingrowth of a granulation tissue with green fluorescent protein (GFP)-positive blood vessels. After harvesting, these prevascularised constructs were then transferred into dorsal skinfold chambers of FVB/N recipient mice to study the process of inosculation. The constructs were implanted directly after embedding in Matrigel or after 3 days of cultivation in the extracellular matrix. Matrigel-free constructs served as control. Cultivation in Matrigel resulted in the outgrowth of CD31/GFP-positive vascular sprouts. Vascularisation of these constructs was markedly improved when compared to the other two groups, as indicated by a significantly elevated functional microvessel density between days 6 to 14 after implantation into the dorsal skinfold chamber. This was associated with an increased number of GFP-positive blood vessels growing into the surrounding host tissue. Thus, the blood supply to prevascularised tissue constructs can be accelerated by their pre-cultivation in an angiogenic extracellular matrix, promoting external inosculation of the preformed microvascular networks with the host microvasculature. |
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Article download: Pages
356-366 (PDF file) |
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