Preparation and characterization of human size whole heart for organ engineering: scaffold microangiographic imaging.

Definitive treatment for end-stage heart failure is heart transplantation, however, this is associated with several limitations. Aim: We decellularized and assessed ovine hearts through coronary perfusion. To evaluate in situ recellularization, a decellular graft was transplanted hetrotopically into the omental wrap. Results: Cell removal was confirmed by DNA count (11.68 ± 3.42 ng/mg dry weight). Elastic, reticular and collagen fiber were well preserved. There was a slight change in both glycosaminoglycan (7.01 ± 1.36 to 8.37 ± 0.32 µg/mg) and collagen (32.37 ± 2.3 to 36.31 ± 2.1) µg/mg (p > 0.05). Angiography and blood circulation revealed an intact vascular network. Implantation led to proper vascularization. Image J indicated CD31: 23.98 ± 12.3; CD34: 48.67 ± 19.5 and αSMA: 78.33 ± 27.8 inch/cm. Conclusion: Bio-scaffold of human size heart is achievable for future steps employing this technique.

Whole-organ tissue engineering: decellularization and recellularization of three-dimensional matrix liver scaffolds.

To report the results of whole liver decellularization by two different methods. To present the results of grafting rat and sheep decellularized liver matrix (DLM) into the normal rat liver and compare natural cell seeding process in homo/xenograft of DLM. To compare the results of in vitro whole liver recellularization with rats' neonatal green fluorescent protein (GFP)-positive hepatic cells with outcomes of in vivo recellularization process. Whole liver of 8 rats and 4 sheep were resected and cannulated via the hepatic vein and perfused with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or Triton + SDS. Several examinations were performed to compare the efficacy of these two decellularization procedures. In vivo recellularization of sheep and rat DLMs was performed following transplantation of multiple pieces of both scaffolds in the subhepatic area of four rats. To compare the efficacy of different scaffolds in autologous cell seeding, biopsies of homograft and xenograft were assessed 8 weeks postoperatively. Whole DLMs of 4 rats were also recellularized in vitro by perfusion of rat's fetal GFP-positive hepatic cells with pulsatile bioreactor. Histological evaluation and enzymatic assay were performed for both in vivo and in vitro recellularized samples. The results of this study demonstrated that the triton method was a promising decellularization approach for preserving the three-dimensional structure of liver. In vitro recellularized DLMs were more similar to natural ones compared with in vivo recellularized livers. However, homografts showed better characteristics with more organized structure compared with xenografts. In vitro recellularization of liver scaffolds with autologous cells represents an attractive prospective for regeneration of liver as one of the most compound organs. In vivo cell seeding on the scaffold of the same species may have more satisfactory outcomes when compared with the results of xenotransplantation. This study theoretically may pave the road for in situ liver regeneration probably by implantation of homologous DLM or in vitro recellularized scaffolds into the diseased host liver.