Development and Characterization of a Porcine Mitral Valve Scaffold for Tissue Engineering

• Published in: Journal of cardiovascular translational research 2017-08, Vol.10 (4), p.374-390
• Main Authors: Granados, M., Morticelli, L., Andriopoulou, S., Kalozoumis, P., Pflaum, M., Iablonskii, P., Glasmacher, B., Harder, M., Hegermann, J., Wrede, C., Tudorache, I., Cebotari, S., Hilfiker, A., Haverich, A., Korossis, Sotirios
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biomechanical Phenomena; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Biomedicine; Bioprosthesis; Cardiology; Cell Proliferation; Cells, Cultured; Coculture Techniques; Collagen Type IV - metabolism; DNA Replication; Elastin - metabolism; Fibroblasts - metabolism; Glycosaminoglycans - metabolism; Heart Valve Prosthesis; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation - instrumentation; Human Genetics; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells - metabolism; Humans; Hydroxyproline - metabolism; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Mitral Valve - immunology; Mitral Valve - metabolism; Mitral Valve - transplantation; Mitral Valve - ultrastructure; Original Article; Stem Cells - metabolism; Sus scrofa; Time Factors; Tissue Engineering - methods; Tissue Scaffolds
• ISSN: 1937-5387; 1937-5395
• DOI: 10.1007/s12265-017-9747-z

Decellularized scaffolds represent a promising alternative for mitral valve (MV) replacement. This work developed and characterized a protocol for the decellularization of whole MVs. Porcine MVs were decellularized with 0.5% ( w / v ) SDS and 0.5% ( w / v ) SD and sterilized with 0.1% ( v / v ) PAA. Decellularized samples were seeded with human foreskin fibroblasts and human adipose-derived stem cells to investigate cellular repopulation and infiltration, and with human colony-forming endothelial cells to investigate collagen IV formation. Histology revealed an acellular scaffold with a generally conserved histoarchitecture, but collagen IV loss. Following decellularization, no significant changes were observed in the hydroxyproline content, but there was a significant reduction in the glycosaminoglycan content. SEM/TEM analysis confirmed cellular removal and loss of some extracellular matrix components. Collagen and elastin were generally preserved. The endothelial cells produced newly formed collagen IV on the non-cytotoxic scaffold. The protocol produced acellular scaffolds with generally preserved histoarchitecture, biochemistry, and biomechanics.