title: Decellularized Human Skeletal Muscle as Biologic Scaffold for Reconstructive Surgery.
abstract: Engineered skeletal muscle tissues have been proposed as potential solutions for volumetric muscle losses, and biologic scaffolds have been obtained by decellularization of animal skeletal muscles. The aim of the present work was to analyse the characteristics of a biologic scaffold obtained by decellularization of human skeletal muscles (also through comparison with rats and rabbits) and to evaluate its integration capability in a rabbit model with an abdominal wall defect. Rat, rabbit and human muscle samples were alternatively decellularized with two protocols: n.1, involving sodium deoxycholate and DNase I; n.2, trypsin-EDTA and Triton X-NH4OH. Protocol 2 proved more effective, removing all cellular material and maintaining the three-dimensional networks of collagen and elastic fibers. Ultrastructural analyses with transmission and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the preservation of collagen, elastic fibres, glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans. Implantation of human scaffolds in rabbits gave good results in terms of integration, although recellularization by muscle cells was not completely achieved. In conclusion, human skeletal muscles may be effectively decellularized to obtain scaffolds preserving the architecture of the extracellular matrix and showing mechanical properties suitable for implantation/integration. Further analyses will be necessary to verify the suitability of these scaffolds for in vitro recolonization by autologous cells before in vivo implantation.
authors.affiliation: Section of Human Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 65, Padova 35127, Italy. andrea.porzionato@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Porzionato
authors.affiliation: Section of Human Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 65, Padova 35127, Italy. mariamartina.sfriso@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Maria Martina
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Sfriso
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Plastic Surgery, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, Padova 35127, Italy. alex.pontini@libero.it.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pontini
authors.affiliation: Section of Human Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 65, Padova 35127, Italy. veronica.macchi@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Macchi
authors.affiliation: Section of Human Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 65, Padova 35127, Italy. lucia.petrelli@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Petrelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via G. Marzolo 9, Padova 35131, Italy. piero.pavan@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Piero G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Pavan
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via G. Marzolo 9, Padova 35131, Italy. arturo.natali@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Arturo N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Natali
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Plastic Surgery, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, Padova 35127, Italy. franco.bassetto@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bassetto
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Plastic Surgery, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, Padova 35127, Italy. vincenzo.vindigni@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vindigni
authors.affiliation: Section of Human Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 65, Padova 35127, Italy. rdecaro@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Caro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D004547:Elastic Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D011509:Proteoglycans; D003094:Collagen
keywords: decellularization; extracellular matrix; human; reconstructive surgery; regenerative medicine; scaffold; scanning  electron microscopy; skeletal muscle; stem cells; tissue engineering