Tissue-engineered esophagus: recellular esophageal extracellular matrix based on perfusion-decellularized technique and mesenchymal stem cells. (27th August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hou, Nan; Xu, Xiaoli; Lv, Die; Lu, Yanqing; Li, Jingzhi; Cui, Pengcheng; Ma, Ruina; Luo, Xiaoming; Tang, Ying; Zheng, Yun
• Is Part Of: Biomedical materials. Volume 16:Number 5(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-08-27
• Subjects: perfusion-decellularization -- myocyte -- regeneration -- esophageal extracellular matrix; Biomedical materials -- Periodicals; 610.28
• DOI: 10.1088/1748-605X/ac1d3d
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1748-6041

Abstract

Abstract: Perfusion-decellularization was an interesting technique to generate a natural extracellular matrix (ECM) with the complete three-dimensional anatomical structure and vascular system. In this study, the esophageal ECM (E-ECM) scaffold was successfully constructed by perfusion-decellularized technique through the vascular system for the first time. And the physicochemical and biological properties of the E-ECM scaffolds were evaluated. The bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were induced to differentiate into myocytes in vitro . E-ECM scaffolds reseeded with myocytes were implanted into the greater omenta to obtain recellular esophageal ECM (RE-ECM), a tissue-engineered esophagus. The results showed that the cells of the esophagi were completely and uniformly removed after perfusion. E-ECM scaffolds retained the original four-layer organizational structure and vascular system with excellent biocompatibility. And the E-ECM scaffolds had no significant difference in mechanical properties comparing with fresh esophagi, p > 0.05. Immunocytochemistry showed positive expression of α -sarcomeric actin, suggesting that BMSCs had successfully differentiated into myocytes. Most importantly, we found that in the RE-ECM muscularis, the myocytes regenerated linearly and continuously and migrated to the deep, and the tissue vascularization was obvious. The cell survival rates at 1 week and 2 weeks were 98.5 ± 3.0% and 96.4 ± 4.6%, respectively. It was demonstrated that myocytes maintained the ability for proliferation and differentiation for at least 2 weeks, and the cell activity was satisfactory in the RE-ECM. It follows that the tissue-engineered esophagus based on perfusion-decellularized technique and mesenchymal stem cells has great potential in esophageal repair. It is proposed as a promising alternative for reconstruction of esophageal defects in the future.