Publication | Closed Access
Development of Technologies Aiding Large-Tissue Engineering
113
Citations
0
References
1998
Year
Large tissue masses are required for surgical reconstructions such as mastectomy, and autologous cell transplantation on biodegradable polymer matrices offers a potential therapy, but challenges include designing a structural framework, a space‑filling matrix, and strategies to enhance vascularization. The paper reviews technologies under development to overcome these challenges. The authors describe support matrices made of lactide‑glycolide polymers whose compressive strength is tuned by polymer ratio, optimized smooth‑muscle‑cell seeding on polyglycolide fiber matrices, and polymer microsphere drug delivery systems that release VEGF to promote vascularization. Combining these technologies could enable engineering of large soft tissues.
There are many clinical situations in which a large tissue mass is required to replace tissue lost to surgical resection (e.g., mastectomy) . It is possible that autologous cell transplantation on biodegradable polymer matrices may provide a new therapy to engineer large tissue which can be used to treat these patients. A number of challenges must be met to engineer a large soft tissue mass. These include the design of (1) a structural framework to maintain a space for tissue development, (2) a space-filling matrix which provides for localization of transplanted cells, and (3) a strategy to enhance vascularization of the forming tissue. In this paper we provide an overview of several technologies which are under development to address these issues. Specifically, support matrices to maintain a space for tissue development have been fabricated from polymers of lactide and glycolide. The ability of these structures to resist compressive forces was regulated by the ratio of lactide to glycolide in the polymer. Smooth muscle cell seeding onto polyglycolide fiber-based matrices has been optimized to allow formation of new tissues in vitro and in vivo. Finally, polymer microsphere drug delivery technology is being developed to release vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent angiogenic molecule, at the site of tissue formation. This strategy, which combines several different technologies, may ultimately allow for the engineering of large soft tissues.