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Updated: Apr 28, 2026
Seeding and Implantation of a Biosynthetic Tissue-engineered Tracheal Graft in a Mouse Model
Published on: April 1, 2019
Development of a composite and vascularized tracheal scaffold in the omentum for in situ tissue engineering: a canine
Masatsugu Hamaji1, Fumitsugu Kojima2, Sho Koyasu3
1Department of Bioartificial Organs, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan Department of Thoracic Surgery, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan mhamaji@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
Objectives:
We herein report on development of a composite (synthetic and biological) tracheal scaffold with vascularized autologous connective tissue in the omentum, followed by in situ tissue engineering of the composite scaffold with the pedicled omentum. In this preliminary report, we focus on development and evaluation of the vascularized autologous connective tissue in the omentum.
Methods:
In animal experiment 1, a polypropylene framework as a synthetic component was placed in the omental sac for 3 weeks and another was placed in the pouch of Douglas as a control in five beagle dogs. In animal experiment 2, a polypropylene framework placed in the omental sac for 3 weeks was compared with a polypropylene framework coated with porcine atelocollagen, which was also placed in the omental sac in another five dogs, to investigate whether the coating of porcine atelocollagen contributes to development of more vascularized connective tissue. Macroscopic, radiological and histological evaluations were performed for developed autologous connective tissue on the frameworks, with a focus on its thickness and capillary vessels.
Results:
In animal experiment 1, the polypropylene framework in the omentum developed a composite tracheal scaffold with homogeneous and significantly thicker (2.6 ± 0.5 vs 1.2 ± 0.4 mm, P <0.0001) connective tissue in which more capillary vessels per 10-power field of view (3.5 ± 2.2 vs 0 ± 0, P = 0.015) were identified, compared with the control in the pouch of Douglas. In animal experiment 2, the omentum developed significantly thicker connective tissue on the polypropylene framework coated with porcine atelocollagen (3.6 ± 0.7 vs 2.2 ± 0.4 mm, P <0.0001) in which not significantly more capillary vessels were identified (3.5 ± 2.2 vs 5.0 ± 2.7, P = 0.12), compared with the framework that was not coated.
Conclusions:
Placement of the polypropylene framework in the omental sac resulted in development of homogeneous and vascularized autologous connective tissue on the polypropylene framework for a composite tracheal scaffold. The framework coated with porcine atelocollagen did not show an additional benefit in inducing vascularization. This preliminary report will be followed by the long-term evaluations of in situ tissue engineering of the composite tracheal scaffold.
