Microsurgical arterovenous loops and biological templates: a novel in vivo chamber for tissue engineering.
BACKGROUND
Microsurgical tissue engineering is an emerging topic in regenerative medicine. Here we describe a new microsurgical model of bioengineering in rats based on the use of an arterovenous loop (AV) implanted into a commercially available crosslinked collagen/glycosaminoglycan template.


METHODS
The microvascular loop was created between the femoral artery and vein and covered by the template folded onto itself. The chamber was isolated from the outside tissue by an outer silicon layer to impede tissue ingrowth.


RESULTS
At 1-month postimplantation, the tissue chamber was found heavily vascularized, as assessed by laser Doppler perfusion analysis. Histological examination showed that the AV loop was integrated into the collagen matrix of the template and that the whole template was filled with a newly formed soft connective tissue. Most interestingly, the whole scaffold was found heavily vascularized, including the formation of a large number of alpha-SMA-positive arterioles.


CONCLUSIONS
The developed microsurgical chamber provides a highly vascular, isolated tool for in vivo tissue engineering.
Manasseri
Benedetto
B
Department of Surgical Specialties, Plastic Surgery Division, University of Messina Medical School, Messina, Italy.
Cuccia
Giuseppe
G
Moimas
Silvia
S
D'Alcontres
Francesco Stagno
FS
Polito
Francesca
F
Bitto
Alessandra
A
Altavilla
Domenica
D
Squadrito
Francesco
F
Geuna
Stefano
S
Pattarini
Lucia
L
Zentilin
Lorena
L
Collesi
Chiara
C
Puligadda
Uday
U
Giacca
Mauro
M
Colonna
Michele Rosario
MR
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D015194:Diffusion Chambers, Culture; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; C058506:collagen-glycosaminoglycan copolymer; D003094:Collagen