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Published on: August 6, 2013
[In vitro three-dimensional reconstruction of human bladder mucosa]
E de Diego Rodríguez1, A Roca Edreira, A Villanueva Peña
1Servicio de Urología, Hospital Comarcal de Laredo, Cantabria.
Objective:
The purpose of this study is to apply the in vitro keratinocyte culture techniques and the tissue engineering principles to human urothelium, to reconstruct an in vitro three-dimensional human bladder mucosa, suitable for grafting.
Material And Methods:
Biopsy specimens of human bladder mucosa were obtained from patients undergoing suprapubic prostatectomy, in vitro cultured and finally, an immunohistochemical study was made.
Results:
A three-dimensional in vitro tissue was obtained, composed of a bio-artificial submucosa (fibrin gel and fibroblast) where the uroepithelial cells were seeding. We used a biodegradable polyglycolic acid mesh to facilitate the tissue manipulation and implantation. An immature epithelium was obtained with a weak immunostaining to cytokeratins. The immunohistochemical study could not demonstrate the development of basement membrane.
Conclusions:
In vitro keratinocyte culture techniques could be applied to other epithelial tissues like the urothelium. We obtained a three-dimensional in vitro tissue suitable for grafting in a relatively short time, which needs the matrix interactions in order to mature.
