[Subcutaneous implantation of tissue-engineered heart valve leaflets in nude mice].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the viability of tissue-engineered heart valve leaflets prepared with cell-polymer constructs in nude mice.


METHODS
Sheep endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells/fibroblasts were seeded on patches of PHA and implanted subcutaneously in athymic mice (BALB/C). The cell-polymer constructs were harvested 12, 14, 21 and 28 days after implantation.


RESULTS
Fourteen days after implantation, the cell-polymer constructs exhibited similar color with the autologous tissues, and HE staining showed more numerous cells in the implant. At 28 days following implantation, muscular fibers were formed in the cell-polymer constructs. V-G staining showed positive collagen staining in the implant at 12 days after implantation, while the control implants retrieved 28 days after implantation did not show extensive tissue formation or muscular fiber formation.


CONCLUSIONS
The cell-polymer constructs can survive in vivo and has the potential to grow into autologous valve leaflets in the nude mice.
Jian
Xu-hua
XH
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Cardiovascular Institute, Guangzhou 510080, China. jianxuhua@tom.com
Zhang
Jing-fang
JF
Hu
Ping
P
Shen
Yan
Y
Zhong
Can-can
CC
D000818:Animals; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D006351:Heart Valves; D020007:Implants, Experimental; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D012756:Sheep; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*