Electrospun nanofibre fibrinogen for urinary tract tissue reconstruction

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that human bladder smooth muscle cells (HBSM) remodel electrospun fibrinogen mats. Fibrinogen scaffolds were electrospun and disinfected using standard methods. Scaffolds were seeded with 5 x 10(4) HBSM per scaffold. Cultures were supplemented with aprotinin concentrations of 0 KIU ml(-1) (no aprotinin), 100 KIU ml(-1) or 1000 KIU ml(-1) and incubated with twice weekly media changes. Samples were removed for evaluation at 1, 3, 7 and 14 days. Cultured scaffolds were evaluated with a WST-1 cell proliferation assay, scanning electron microscopy and histology. Cell culture demonstrated that HBSM readily migrated into and initiated remodelling of the electrospun fibrinogen scaffolds by deposition of collagen. Proliferation was suppressed during this initial phase with respect to a 2D control due to cell migration. Histology confirmed that proliferation increased during the later stages of remodelling. Remodelling was slower at higher aprotinin concentrations. These results demonstrate that HBSM rapidly remodel an electrospun fibrinogen scaffold and deposit native collagen. The process can be modulated using aprotinin, a protease inhibitor. These initial findings indicate that there is tremendous potential for electrospun fibrinogen as a urologic tissue engineering scaffold with the ultimate goal of producing an implantable acellular product that would promote cellular in-growth and in situ tissue regeneration.