Ultra-rapid engineered collagen constructs tested in an in vivo nursery site.
Collagen is a naturally occurring structural protein, highly conserved across species. Conventionally, tissue engineering aims to convert cell-seeded constructs into a tissue-like architecture with biomimetic function. However, cell-mediated remodelling of biomaterial scaffolds in vitro has proved to be slow, costly and difficult to control. We have recently developed a novel process for ultra-rapid engineering of tissue-like constructs without the need for cell-based remodelling. Using plastic compression of type I collagen gels, the densities of collagen and cells together with mechanical properties can be brought controllably to near-tissue levels in minutes rather than weeks/months. We have now implanted these constructs in a test site across intercostal spaces in a rabbit model designed to provide cyclical tensile loading in vivo, to test their integration, cell ingrowth and angiogenic response over 5 weeks. Post-implanted constructs were recovered and tested for host vascularization, inflammatory response and mechanical integrity.
UCL Tissue Repair and Engineering Centre, Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Stanmore Campus, London, UK. v.mudera@ucl.ac.uk
Vivek
V
Mudera
Mary
M
Morgan
Umber
U
Cheema
Showan
S
Nazhat
Robert
R
Brown
D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001718:Birefringence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D007366:Intercostal Muscles / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D015202:Protein Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats
D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D003094:Collagen