title: Functional tissue engineering of autologous tunica albuginea: a possible graft for Peyronie's disease surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to generate a tissue engineered type of mechanically stable graft suitable for surgical replacement of the tunica albuginea penis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Porcine fibroblasts isolated from open fascia biopsies were seeded on decellularized collagen matrices and then cultivated in a bioreactor under continuous multiaxial stress for up to 21 days (n=12). Static cultures without mechanical stress served as controls. Cell proliferation, cell alignment, and de novo synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins (proteoglycans, procollagen I, elastin) in these grafts was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin, pentachrome, and immuno-staining. Additionally, the enzymatic isolation of porcine fibroblasts from X4mm skin punch biopsies (n=8) was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mechanically strained cultures of fibroblasts showed a homogeneous multilayer matrix infiltration and a regular cell alignment in the direction of strain axis after 7 days, as well as a de novo production of extracellular matrix proteins compared to the static control. A large amount of viable fibroblasts was easily obtained from small skin punch biopsies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that continuous multiaxial stimuli improve proliferation and extracellular matrix synthesis of mature fibroblasts reseeded on a biological matrix making this a feasible autologous tissue engineered graft for penile surgery. For the clinical setting fibroblasts harvested from small skin biopsies can be a comfortable cell source.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology and Pediatirc Urology and Tissue Engineering Network, Hannover Medical School, Germany. schultheiss.dirk@mh-hannover.de
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schultheiss
authors.forename: Ralf R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Lorenz
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meister
authors.forename: Mareike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Westphal
authors.forename: Alexander I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Gabouev
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mertsching
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Biancosino
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schlote
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wefer
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.forename: Christian G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Stief
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Jonas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019149:Bioreactors; D004867:Equipment Design; D008297:Male; D010411:Penile Induration / Q000601:surgery*; D010413:Penis; D013552:Swine; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000295:instrumentation