Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 20, 2026
Three-Dimensional Culture of Vascularized Thermogenic Adipose Tissue from Microvascular Fragments
Published on: February 3, 2023
Creation of a Large Adipose Tissue Construct in Humans Using a Tissue-engineering Chamber: A Step Forward in the
Wayne A Morrison1, Diego Marre2, Damien Grinsell3
1O'Brien Institute of Regenerative Surgery, St. Vincent's Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Australia; Department of Surgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Australia.
Abstract:
Tissue engineering is currently exploring new and exciting avenues for the repair of soft tissue and organ defects. Adipose tissue engineering using the tissue engineering chamber (TEC) model has yielded promising results in animals; however, to date, there have been no reports on the use of this device in humans. Five female post mastectomy patients ranging from 35 to 49years old were recruited and a pedicled thoracodorsal artery perforator fat flap ranging from 6 to 50ml was harvested, transposed onto the chest wall and covered by an acrylic perforated dome-shaped chamber ranging from 140 to 350cm(3). Magnetic resonance evaluation was performed at three and six months after chamber implantation. Chambers were removed at six months and samples were obtained for histological analysis. In one patient, newly formed tissue to a volume of 210ml was generated inside the chamber. One patient was unable to complete the trial and the other three failed to develop significant enlargement of the original fat flap, which, at the time of chamber explantation, was encased in a thick fibrous capsule. Our study provides evidence that generation of large well-vascularized tissue engineered constructs using the TEC is feasible in humans.
