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Updated: May 22, 2026
Imaging-Guided Bioreactor for Generating Bioengineered Airway Tissue
Published on: April 6, 2022
Regeneration of tracheal epithelium using a collagen vitrigel-sponge scaffold containing basic fibroblast growth
Akiko Tani1, Yasuhiro Tada, Toshiaki Takezawa
1Department of Otolaryngology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
Objectives:
Our group has had good results in tracheal mucosal regeneration using a collagen vitrigel-sponge scaffold in an animal model. In this study, the effectiveness of this scaffold with the application of basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF) was investigated.
Methods:
A collagen vitrigel-sponge scaffold was fabricated with simultaneous addition of b-FGF. Three types of collagen vitrigel-sponge scaffolds were made: no b-FGF, 10 ng of b-FGF, and 100 ng of b-FGF. At 3, 5, 7, and 14 days after implantation in rats, the tracheas were removed and histologically evaluated. The regeneration of mucosal epithelium and the subepithelial layer was evaluated.
Results:
Mucosal epithelium, including pseudostratified epithelium and ciliated cells, regenerated earlier in the scaffolds when b-FGF was applied than when b-FGF was not applied. Regeneration of the subepithelial layer, infiltration of inflammatory cells and fibroblasts, and angiogenesis were promoted earlier in the scaffolds with b-FGF application.
Conclusions:
Our technique for tracheal reconstruction using collagen vitrigel-sponge scaffolds with b-FGF application affords a feasible approach for accelerating the regeneration of the intraluminal surface and subepithelial layer of tracheal tissue.
