title: Soft tissue engineering with micronized-gingival connective tissues.
abstract: The free gingival graft (FGG) and connective tissue graft (CTG) are currently considered to be the gold standards for keratinized gingival tissue reconstruction and augmentation. However, these procedures have some disadvantages in harvesting large grafts, such as donor-site morbidity as well as insufficient gingival width and thickness at the recipient site post-treatment. To solve these problems, we focused on an alternative strategy using micronized tissue transplantation (micro-graft). In this study, we first investigated whether transplantation of micronized gingival connective tissues (MGCTs) promotes skin wound healing. MGCTs (≤100 µm) were obtained by mincing a small piece (8 mm3) of porcine keratinized gingiva using the RIGENERA system. The MGCTs were then transplanted to a full skin defect (5 mm in diameter) on the dorsal surface of immunodeficient mice after seeding to an atelocollagen matrix. Transplantations of atelocollagen matrixes with and without micronized dermis were employed as experimental controls. The results indicated that MGCTs markedly promote the vascularization and epithelialization of the defect area 14 days after transplantation compared to the experimental controls. After 21 days, complete wound closure with low contraction was obtained only in the MGCT grafts. Tracking analysis of transplanted MGCTs revealed that some mesenchymal cells derived from MGCTs can survive during healing and may function to assist in wound healing. We propose here that micro-grafting with MGCTs represents an alternative strategy for keratinized tissue reconstruction that is characterized by low morbidity and ready availability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Regenerative Oral Surgery, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Sawako
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.affiliation: Department of Regenerative Oral Surgery, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.|Basic and Translational Research Center for Hard Tissue Disease, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1247-9763
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sumita
authors.affiliation: Department of Regenerative Oral Surgery, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Seigo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohba
authors.affiliation: Department of Regenerative Oral Surgery, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Regenerative Oral Surgery, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Izumi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Asahina
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005881:Gingiva / Q000637:transplantation*; D006085:Graft Survival; D064593:Heterografts; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D062326:Re-Epithelialization; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply / Q000293:injuries* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013552:Swine; D013997:Time Factors; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C059821:atelocollagen; D003094:Collagen
keywords: cell-based therapy; gingiva; micronized-tissues; wound healing