title: A hydrogel material for plastic and reconstructive applications injected into the subcutaneous space of a sheep.
abstract: Soft tissue reconstruction using tissue-engineered constructs requires the development of materials that are biocompatible and support cell adhesion and growth. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of macroporous hydrogel fragments that were formed using either unmodified alginate or alginate covalently linked with the fibronectin cell adhesion peptide RGD (alginate-RGD). These materials were injected into the subcutaneous space of adult, domesticated female sheep and harvested for histological comparisons at 1 and 3 months. In addition, the alginate-RGD porous fragments were seeded with autologous sheep preadipocytes isolated from the omentum, and these cell-based constructs were also implanted. The results from this study indicate that both the alginate and alginate-RGD subcutaneous implants supported tissue and vascular ingrowth. Furthermore, at all time points of the experiment, a minimal inflammatory response and capsule formation surrounding the implant were observed. The implanted materials also maintained their sizes over the 3-month study period. In addition, the alginate-RGD fragments supported the adhesion and proliferation of sheep preadipocytes, and adipose tissue was present within the transplant site of these cellular constructs, which was not present within the biomaterial control sites.
authors.affiliation: General Surgery Research, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, North Carolina 28232-2861, USA. chalberstadt@carolinas.org
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Halberstadt
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rowley
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Culberson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loebsack
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blacksten
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Burg
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mooney
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Holder
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D000464:Alginates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D009842:Oligopeptides; D011859:Radiography; D012756:Sheep; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D009842:Oligopeptides; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; C047981:arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid; D020723:Glucuronic Acid