Biocompatibility of acellular tracheae as scaffold for artificial salivary gland organoid

Guilin HUANG; Longjiang LI; Guanghua PAN; Chunyu WANG; Nini ZHANG

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

An important initial step in developing a tissue engineering artificial salivary gland organoid is to find an ideal scaffold. To find other new biomaterials should to be further studied.

OBJECTIVE:

To obtain an acellular matrix from tracheae of rabbits and SD rats, and to investigate its biocompatibility as a primary step toward developing a tissue engineering artificial salivary gland organoid.DESIGN, TIME AND

SETTING:

A randomized controlled animal study, which was performed at the Key Laboratory of Transplantation Engineering and Immunology of Ministry of Health, West China Hospital of Sichuan University from February 2003 to May 2005.MATERIALS A modified detergent and enzyme link extraction procedure was performed to remove cells from SD rats and rabbits tracheae. The histology, topography of inner-surface and biocompatibility were studied on both acellular tracheae.

METHODS:

Eighteen SD rats were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group was planted acellular trachea of SD rats. Other group consisted of acellular trachea of rabbits. On the third generations, submandibular gland cells were inoculated on two acellular tracheae and cultured on PGA membrane; while, cells in the control group were inoculated on 12-well culture plate, and cell/scaffold complex was cultured at the same time.MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

The structure and topography of inner-surface of the acellular tracheae matrixes were observed both by light and scanning electron microscopy. The inflammatory response of the tissue around acellular tracheae implanted under the skin of cheek was evaluated at 1, 4, 12 weeks. The numbers of cells grown on the acellular tracheae and PGA film were counted at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 days. At 1, 3, 5, 7 days, the mean values of metabolic activity test and the amylase activities of supernatants of the cells/scaffold complexes were examined.

RESULTS:

The cells were completely removed from both tracheae. No evident inflammatory response was found in tissues around two kinds of acellular tracheae implanted under the skin of cheek. The number of submandibular gland cells (SSG) grown on the two kinds of naturally derived biomaterials was much more than grown on PGA (P<0.05). The mean values of metabolic activity test and the amylase activities of supernatants containing cell/acellular matrixes were much higher than that of cell/PGA (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION:

The acelhilar tracheae matrixes made by our laboratory can be used as scaffold in the study of tissue engineering artificial salivary gland organoid.