Engineered adipose tissue formation enhanced by basic fibroblast growth factor and a mechanically stable environment

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Engineered adipose tissue offers solutions for soft tissue augmentation in plastic and reconstructive surgery.
• Scaffolds providing mechanical stability and promoting neovascularization are crucial for successful engineered adipose tissue formation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential of combining a mechanically stable environment with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) for engineering voluminous adipose tissue.

Main Methods:

• Biodegradable polymer scaffolds were implanted subcutaneously in athymic mice.
• Human preadipocytes in fibrin matrix, with or without bFGF, were injected into scaffold spaces or directly into subcutaneous pockets.
• Implant volume, adipogenesis, angiogenesis, and cell survival were assessed after six weeks.

Main Results:

• Scaffolds maintained implant volume, unlike non-scaffold groups which showed shrinkage.
• The combination of scaffolds and bFGF (Group 1) demonstrated the most extensive adipogenesis and angiogenesis.
• bFGF treatment reduced preadipocyte apoptosis, and Group 1 showed the highest human adipocyte fraction and gene expression.

Conclusions:

• A mechanically stable scaffold combined with bFGF effectively promotes voluminous adipose tissue regeneration.
• This approach enhances adipogenesis through mechanical support, neovascularization, improved cell survival, and host cell recruitment.
• The described method holds promise for adipose tissue augmentation in plastic and reconstructive surgery.