The experimental study of tissue-engineered bladder using acellular bladder matrix

Abstract

Objective We investigated the possibility of using bladder acellular matrix seeded with bladder smooth muscle cells and transitional cells as a material for partial bladder replacement. Methods The allogenic bladder acellular matrix was prepared by thorough washing with sodium az-ide, DNAse, and phosphate buffered saline. Small pieces of bladder tissue were collected surgically from 8 pigs. Both bladder smooth muscle cells and transitional cells were harvested and cultured separately in the eight pigs. The allogenic bladder acellular matrixes were then seeded with bladder smooth muscle cells on one side and transitional cells on the opposite side. Partial bladder replacements were per-formed separately with the allogenic bladder acellular matrix seeded with cells. The augmented bladders were retrieved 1,3 and 6 months after replacement operation. Hematoxylin and eosin and immuno-chemical staining were carried out to evaluate the histology of the augmented bladder. The ex vivo function of muscle strips taken from augmented bladder were evaluate by the organ bath study. Results No cell was detected with HE staining and scanning electromicroscopy in the allogenic bladder acel-lular matrix. The cultured bladder cells can adhere to bladder submucosa acelluler matrix and grow in it. Histologically, 3 and 6 months after replacement operation, the retrieved bladder contained a normal cellular organization consisting of transitional cells lined lumen surrounded by smooth muscle.. The or-gan bath study showed that the ex vivo function of muscle strips taken from augmented bladder were similar to the normal bladder muscle strips. Conclusions The allogenic bladder acellular matrix seeded with bladder cells appears to be a viable option as a biomaterial for bladder augmentaion. Key words: Bladder; Tissue engineering; cell,cultured