title: Biomechanical and biochemical characteristics of a human fibroblast-produced and remodeled matrix.
abstract: We report on a culture method for the rapid production of a strong and thick natural matrix by human cells for tissue engineering applications. Dermal fibroblasts were cultured for three weeks at high density on porous substrates in serum-containing or chemically defined media. The mechanical and biochemical properties of the resulting cell-derived matrix (CDM) were compared to those of standard fibroblast-populated collagen and fibrin gels and native human skin. We found that the ultimate tensile strength of CDM cultured in our chemically defined media (313+/-8.7 kPa) is significantly greater than for collagen gels (168+/-39.3 kPa), fibrin gels (133+/-8.0 kPa) and CDM cultured with serum (223+/-9.0 kPa), but less than native skin (713+/-55.2 kPa). In addition to the biomechanics, this *CDM is also biochemically more similar to native skin than the collagen and fibrin gels in terms of all parameters measured. As *CDM is produced by human cells in a chemically defined culture medium and is mechanically robust, it may be a viable living tissue equivalent for many connective tissue replacement applications requiring initial mechanical stability yet a high degree of biocompatibility.
authors.affiliation: Total ReCord, Inc., 1 Innovation Drive, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
authors.forename: Jan-Eric W
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Ahlfors
authors.forename: Kristen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Billiar
mesh_terms: D001671:Biochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000379:methods*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry; D003470:Culture Media; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D005337:Fibrin / Q000737:chemistry; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D005337:Fibrin; D003094:Collagen