title: Bioengineered trachea with fibroblasts in a rabbit model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although our group has had mostly successful results with clinical application of a tracheal prosthesis, delayed epithelial regeneration remains a problem. In our previous studies using rats, it was demonstrated that tracheal fibroblasts accelerated proliferation and differentiation of the tracheal epithelium in vitro and in vivo. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of fibroblasts on epithelial regeneration in larger tracheal defects in rabbits.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed a bioengineered scaffold, the luminal surface of which was coated with fibroblasts. This scaffold was implanted into tracheal defects in 12 rabbits (bioengineered group), and scaffolds without fibroblasts were implanted in 12 rabbits (control group). The regenerated epithelium was histologically examined by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and immunohistochemical studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the bioengineered group, a stratified squamous epithelium was observed on the surface 7 days after transplantation. However, in the control group, the scaffolds were exposed. Fourteen days after implantation, a columnar ciliated epithelium was observed in the bioengineered group. The average thickness of the regenerated epithelium in the bioengineered group was significantly greater than that in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicated that fibroblasts had a stimulatory effect that hastened regeneration of the epithelium in large tracheal defects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima City, Japan.
authors.forename: Wataru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Okano
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nomoto
authors.forename: Ikuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyake
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Omori
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057005:Bioengineering / Q000379:methods*; D004848:Epithelium; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology*; D011817:Rabbits; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D014132:Trachea