[Use of acellular biological matrices in urology]

Tissue engineering methods have been increasingly developed due to the growing difficulties and limits imposed by conventional tissue reconstruction surgery using autologous tissues. Apart from so-called in vitro cell culture methods, which could have future applications in urology, in vivo methods using biomaterials designed to allow colonizations by host cells offer real possibilities for urogenital tract reconstruction. The use of acellular biological matrix has considerably reduced the risks related to immunological rejection and infectious complications. Colonization of a collagen mesh by host cells, very probably under the influence of growth factors, and the three dimensional structure of these matrices facilitate tissue reconstitution. The number of studies reported in this article emphasizes the importance of the future clinical implications in urology.