UCL Discovery

Abstract

Plastic compression enables rapid production of collagenous tissue like constructs without the need for cell based remodeling. We have previously reported testing spiral acellular and cell seeded constructs in-vivo. The constructs were implanted across the intercostal space of a lapine model designed to provide cyclical tensile loading in-vivo for up to 5 weeks. Results showed that cell seeded constructs elicit increased cellular infiltration, angiogenic response, mechanical integrity and decreased inflammatory response compared to acellular constructs. In this study the constructs were further tested for host muscle and nerve infiltration. Constructs were harvested, and stained for the myoblast marker desmin and neuronal marker neurofilament using an immunoperoxidase technique. We have found that host muscle cells start to migrate into the constructs by 3 weeks but did not reached the core of the spiral by 5 weeks, a delayed response. Significantly there is no innervation seen at 5 weeks in vivo in this model. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.