Breast Implant Capsules Are Partially Composed of Bone Marrow–Derived Cells

Abstract

Capsular contracture is the most common complication following breast augmentation or reconstruction with implants. We recently demonstrated that bone marrow-derived cells provide fibroblasts to murine skin during wound healing. To determine if bone marrow-derived cells were the cellular source of periprosthetic capsules, we created chimeric C57BL mice containing bone marrow cells from isogeneic enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) mice and implanted with a textured silicone shell implant. We found that none of the mice developed infection or capsular contracture, but day 30 capsules were composed of 26.4 +/- 6.1% EGFP cells, and day 60 capsules had 21.8 +/- 10.3% EGFP cells. Immunohistochemistry revealed a small population of EGFP cells in the capsules that were myofibroblasts. Thus, breast implant capsules are partially composed of bone marrow-derived cells and, given the potential of these cells to become myofibroblasts, may explain the cellular source of capsular contracture when it develops.