Facilitating tissue infiltration and angiogenesis in a tubular collagen scaffold

Among different strategies to provide blood supply to tissue-engineered devices and implants, the use of arteriovenous loops and bundles has been proposed. The aim of this study was to compare the vascularization and healing processes that took place in a one-end closed tubular collagen-based scaffold at different implantation sites in mice. These conditions were in the presence or absence of heparin and/or bone marrow cells. By 30 days, very few cell infiltrations were observed in the dorsal subcutaneous and peritoneal implants at any conditions; however, the presence of heparin and bone marrow cells improved cell infiltration toward an inflammatory reaction. The insertion of an arteriovenous bundle into the central cavity of the scaffold resulted in partial wound tissue infiltration in the control scaffolds implanted subcutaneously in the hind limb. In similar conditions, the presence of bone marrow cells and heparin resulted in dense wound tissue with numerous capillaries and a significant amount of newly deposited collagen fibers. The design of a central cavity in a porous scaffold with one closed end may facilitate invasion from the central part of the implant toward the implant wall. In addition, the presence of both a vascular component and stem/progenitor cells may lead to a vascularized implant while limiting the inflammatory reaction.