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RECONSTRUCTIVE
UROLOGY
A
collagen matrix derived from bladder can be used to engineer smooth muscle
tissue
Kim BS, Atala A, Yoo JJ
Department of Bioengineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea
World J Urol. 2008 Jul 2 [Epub ahead of print]
- We have
previously demonstrated that a collagen matrix derived from lamina propria,
commonly known as bladder submucosa (BSM matrix), is a suitable biomaterial
for several urologic applications, including reconstruction of the bladder
and urethra in experimental models and clinical trials. In the present
study, we evaluated the physical properties of BSM as well as its biocompatibility,
cellular interactions, and ability to support the formation of functional
tissue in order to determine whether this biomaterial could serve as
a matrix for urinary smooth muscle tissue engineering. BSM matrix resembles
the extracellular matrix of bladder submucosa in its native structure,
composition, and mechanical properties. BSM matrix supported normal
mitochondrial metabolic and proliferative functions of human urinary
smooth muscle cells and did not induce cytotoxic effects in vitro. When
implanted in vivo, BSM matrix promoted the regeneration of urinary smooth
muscle tissues with contractility, which is a smooth muscle-specific
tissue function. These results suggest that BSM matrix would be a useful
biomaterial for urinary smooth muscle reconstruction.
- Editorial
Comment
Using scaffolds to regenerate tissue especially in the urological field
has been the aim for the last decade. Which scaffold might be the best
still seems to be not clear. The paper of Kim et al. investigated the
native structure of Bladder Submucosa Matrix (BSM), seeded with smooth
muscle cells as a composition and its mechanical properties. Compared
to previous publications the extended investigation was performed in
a tissue-engineered seeded fashion, but as Piechota et al. (1) previously
demonstrated (and further investigated by Dahms et al. (2), the acellular
Bladder Matrix Graft (BMG) fully regenerated and functioned as native
bladder tissue.
The use of organ-specific scaffolds was extended to other urological
organs such as urethra and ureter (3). However, the use of SIS®
by Cook in the context of pre-seeding scaffold did not always demonstrate
the expected success (4). Through the investigation of BSM, Kim et al.
compared unseeded scaffolds; they found that BSM demonstrated a faster
functional regeneration, thus underlining, depending on its thickness,
that an organ-specific scaffold might be more favorable (5).
References
1. Piechota HJ, Gleason CA, Dahms SE, Dahiya R, Nunes LS, Lue TF, et al.:
Bladder acellular matrix graft: in vivo functional properties of the regenerated
rat bladder. Urol Res. 1999; 27: 206-13.
2. Dahms SE, Piechota HJ, Dahiya R, Gleason CA, Hohenfellner M, Tanagho
EA: Bladder acellular matrix graft in rats: its neurophysiologic properties
and mRNA expression of growth factors TGF-alpha and TGF-beta. Neurourol
Urodyn. 1998; 17: 37-54.
3. Sievert KD, Tanagho EA: Organ-specific acellular matrix for reconstruction
of the urinary tract. World J Urol. 2000; 18: 19-25.
4. Feil G, Christ-Adler M, Maurer S, Corvin S, Rennekampff HO, Krug J,
et al.: Investigations of urothelial cells seeded on commercially available
small intestine submucosa. Eur Urol. 2006; 50: 1330-7.
5. Sievert KD, Wefer J, Bakircioglu ME, Nunes L, Dahiya R, Tanagho EA:
Heterologous acellular matrix graft for reconstruction of the rabbit urethra:
histological and functional evaluation. J Urol. 2001; 165: 2096-102.
Dr.
Karl-Dietrich Sievert &
Dr. Arnulf Stenzl
Department of Urology
Eberhard-Karls-University Tuebingen
Tuebingen, Germany
E-mail: arnulf.stenzl@med.uni-tuebingen.de |