Experimental study on reconstruction of tissue-engineered uterine patch / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To reconstruct tissue-engineered uterine patch similar to native endometrium and myotrium. Methods The purified rabbit uterine smooth muscle cells and stromal cells were mixed with liquid type Ⅰ collagen, and laid on mold respectively. Then the collagen-embedded cells were combined to create a cell complex, epithelial cells were inoculated on top of the complex, histological and immunohistochemical staining, and scanning electron microscopy were used to analyze the engineered uterine tissue. Results The engineered uterine tissues (EUTs) were reconstructed with isolated and cultured uterine smooth muscle cells, stromal cells and epithelial cells. After cultured for 14 days, histological and immunohistochemical analyses showed that the smooth muscle cells and stromal cells in the EUTs distributed evenly in the two layers and the majority of the cells, with elongated nuclei, stretched along the stretching direction. The morphology of EUTs resembled that of the native uterine tissue. In scanning electron microscopy, some epithelial cells protruded pinopodes. The surface of epithelial cells was covered abundantly with microvilli and some cells were ciliated. Conclusion Uterine smooth muscle cells and stromal cells were mixed with Liquid type Ⅰcollagen respectively, and epithelial cells were inoculated on top of the complex for generation of EUTs similar to the native uterine tissue.