title: An adipogenic gel for surgical reconstruction of the subcutaneous fat layer in a rat model.
abstract: 'Off-the-shelf' tissue-engineered skin alternatives for epidermal and dermal skin layers are available; however, no such alternative for the subdermal fat layer exists. Without this well-vascularized layer, skin graft take is variable and grafts may have reduced mobility, contracture and contour defects. In this study a novel adipose-derived acellular matrix (Adipogel) was investigated for its properties to generate subdermal fat in a rat model. In a dorsal thoracic site, a 1 × 1 cm Adipogel implant was inserted within a subdermal fat layer defect. In a dorsal lumbar site, an Adipogel implant was inserted in a subfascial pocket. Contralateral control defects remained empty. At 8 weeks wound/implant sites were evaluated histologically, immunohistochemically and morphometrically. Identifiable thoracic Adipogel implants lost volume in vivo over 8 weeks. Neovascularization and adipogenesis were evident within implants and adipocyte percentage volume was 33.07 ± 6.55% (mean ± SEM). A comparison of entire cross-sections of thoracic wounds demonstrated a significant increase in total wound fat in Adipogel-implanted wounds (37.19 ± 4.48%, mean ± SEM) compared to control (16.53 ± 4.60%; p = 0.0092), indicating that some Adipogel had been completely converted to normal fat. At the lumbar site, Adipogel also lost volume, appearing flattened, although fat generation and angiogenesis occurred. At both sites macrophage infiltration was mild, whilst many infiltrating cells were PDGFRβ-positive mesenchymal cells. Adipogel is adipogenic and angiogenic and is a promising candidate for subcutaneous fat regeneration; it has the potential to be a valuable adjunct to wound-healing therapy and reconstructive surgery practice. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: O'Brien Institute, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Free University of Brussels (VUB), Belgium.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Debels
authors.affiliation: O'Brien Institute, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia.|Health Science Faculty, Australian Catholic University, Fitzroy, Australia.
authors.forename: Yi-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Gerrand
authors.affiliation: O'Brien Institute, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.affiliation: O'Brien Institute, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia.|Health Science Faculty, Australian Catholic University, Fitzroy, Australia.|Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Keren M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Abberton
authors.affiliation: O'Brien Institute, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia.|Health Science Faculty, Australian Catholic University, Fitzroy, Australia.|Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Wayne A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.affiliation: O'Brien Institute, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia.|Health Science Faculty, Australian Catholic University, Fitzroy, Australia.|Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Geraldine M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D050156:Adipogenesis; D000818:Animals; D005782:Gels / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020007:Implants, Experimental; D008297:Male; D000070778:Perilipin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020797:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D040521:Subcutaneous Tissue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000601:surgery*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D000070778:Perilipin-1; D020797:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta
keywords: Adipogel matrix; adipocytes; adipogenesis; angiogenesis; mesenchymal cells; subcutaneous fat layer regeneration