title: Autologous fibroblast transplantation at the vesico-ureteral junction as potential reconstructive cell replacement in an animal model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the cellular survival of donor fibroblasts after transplantation at the vesico-ureteral junction (VUJ) and to analyse their potential for reconstructive cell replacement in an animal model as autologous fibroblasts have been used as soft tissue augmentation material for scared and damaged tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Muscles biopsies were procured from the lower limb muscles of 4 pigs; cytoplasm of fibroblasts was labelled with nano-sized iron oxide particles. Six weeks after taking of the muscle biopsies, fibroblast transplantation was performed, 3 × 10(6) cells suspended in transplantation medium (in 1-ml syringes) were injected at the VUJ using the modified STING technique. Animals were killed 8 weeks later; seeded fibroblasts were identified using prussian blue staining protocol; histological evaluation and morphological analysis were performed by light microscopy (Mayer's haematoxylin-eosin staining); and bladders were scanned by MRI for visualization and localization of the iron-labelled donor cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Donor fibroblast cell colonization and cellular viability at the VUJ was demonstrated by MRI and histochemically indicating cellular uptake of iron particles at the VUJ. It was also evident that transplanted fibroblasts integrate into the extracellular matrix of the distal ureter augmenting ureteral host tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Labelled implanted autologous fibroblasts were visualized by staining procedure as well as MRI scan demonstrating persistence at the VUJ, suggesting that in vitro expanded fibroblasts survived in vivo after transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstreet 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria. Renate.Pichler@i-med.ac.at
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pichler
authors.forename: Guenter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Klima
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marksteiner
authors.forename: Viktoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mayr
authors.forename: Viktor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Skradski
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Horninger
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oswald
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000637:transplantation*; D006085:Graft Survival; D023421:Models, Animal; D013552:Swine; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014718:Vesico-Ureteral Reflux / Q000628:therapy*