Acellular bovine pericardia with distinct porous structures fixed with genipin as an extracellular matrix

A cell extraction process was employed to remove the cellular components from bovine pericardia. Various porous structures of the acellular tissues were then created, using acetic acid and collagenase, and subsequently fixed with genipin. The biological response and tissue regeneration pattern for each studied group were evaluated in a growing rat model. One month postoperatively, fibroblasts, neoconnective tissue fibrils, and neocapillaries were observed in the acellular, acetic acid-treated, and collagenase-treated tissues to fill the pores within the implanted samples, indicating that these tissue samples were being regenerated. The neoconnective tissue fibrils were identified to be neocollagen fibrils and neoglycosaminoglycans. On the other hand, no tissue regeneration was observed in the cellular tissue throughout the entire course of the study; tissue regeneration was limited to the outer most layer of the acellular tissue. In contrast, the areas of tissue regeneration in the acetic acid-treated and collagenase-treated tissues were expanded with increasing duration of implantation. However, 1 year postoperatively there were still numerous inflammatory cells observed in the acetic acid-treated tissue, whereas inflammatory cells in the collagenase-treated tissue had almost disappeared. These results indicated that tissue regeneration patterns within acellular tissues were significantly affected by their porous structures.