Regeneration of the Trachea Using a Bioengineered Scaffold with Adipose-Derived Stem Cells

Abstract

Our group has developed and clinically applied an artificial graft made from a collagen sponge scaffold for the regeneration of tracheal tissue. However, the artificial graft requires about 2 months for epithelial regeneration. The purpose of the present study was to accelerate the regeneration process of the trachea through the effective use of a bioengineered scaffold. Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) with multilineage differentiation capability were used. In our study, we implanted a bioengineered scaffold that included autologous ASCs into tracheal defects in rats. Collagen gel, including ASCs labeled with monomeric yellow fluorescent protein, was layered onto the surface of the collagen sponge to form a bioengineered scaffold. This scaffold was implanted into the tracheal defects in rats. A control scaffold without ASCs was also implanted. On day 14 after implantation, a pseudostratified columnar epithelium with well-differentiated ciliated and goblet cells and neovascularization was observed in rats that received the implant with the bioengineered scaffold that included ASCs. These results suggested that implanted ASCs accelerated neovascularization and epithelialization on the regenerated trachea. Thus, our newly developed bioengineered scaffold contributes to tracheal regeneration.