ABSTRACT
Skeletal muscle degeneration is responsible for major mobility complications, and this muscle type has little regenerative capacity. Several biomaterials have been proposed to induce muscle regeneration and function restoration. Decellularized scaffolds present biological properties that allow efficient cell culture, providing a suitable microenvironment for artificial construct development and being an alternative for in vitro muscle culture. For translational purposes, biomaterials derived from large animals are an interesting and unexplored source for muscle scaffold production. Therefore, this study aimed to produce and characterize bovine muscle scaffolds to be applied to muscle cell 3D cultures. Bovine muscle fragments were immersed in decellularizing solutions for 7 days. Decellularization efficiency, structure, composition, and three-dimensionality were evaluated. Bovine fetal myoblasts were cultured on the scaffolds for 10 days to attest cytocompatibility. Decellularization was confirmed by DAPI staining and DNA quantification. Histological and immunohistochemical analysis attested to the preservation of main ECM components. SEM analysis demonstrated that the 3D structure was maintained. In addition, after 10 days, fetal myoblasts were able to adhere and proliferate on the scaffolds, attesting to their cytocompatibility. These data, even preliminary, infer that generated bovine muscular scaffolds were well structured, with preserved composition and allowed cell culture. This study demonstrated that biomaterials derived from bovine muscle could be used in tissue engineering.
ABSTRACT
The esophagus is a muscular tube whose function is to transport food from the mouth to the stomach and basically contain the same layers as the rest of the digestive tract. The morphological knowledge of structures involved in basic physiological processes in organisms is extremely important in the acquisition of ecological and evolutionary knowledge about species. This study produces morphological information proving the structures found in the green turtle's esophagus. The animals were dissected according to the methodology used by Wyneken, allowing analysis of external and internal morphological characteristics of the esophagus. The samples were processed for microscopic analysis by light and scanning electron microscopy. It was observed that the esophagus presents thin and conical dermal papillae facing the stomach throughout the mucosa to the gastroesophageal portion, decreasing its size at the end of its extension, covered by a thick keratin layer on keratinized pavement epithelial tissue. It is concluded that the esophagus of Chelonia mydas is covered by a layer of conical keratinized dermal papillae important to exert the mechanical and protective function of the mucosa of this organ, considering that the feeding of these animals is extremely abrasive, besides serving as protection so that the food does not return.
El esófago es un tubo muscular cuya función es transportar los alimentos desde la cavidad oral hasta el estómago y, básicamente, contienen las mismas capas que el resto del tracto digestivo. El conocimiento morfológico de las estructuras involucradas en los procesos fisiológicos básicos en los organismos es extremadamente importante en la adquisición de conocimientos ecológicos y evolutivos sobre las especies. Este estudio produce información morfológica que demuestra las estructuras encontradas en el esófago de la tortuga verde. Los animales se disecaron de acuerdo con la metodología utilizada por Wyneken, lo que permitió el análisis de las características morfológicas internas y externas del esófago. Las muestras se procesaron para análisis microscópico mediante microscopía electrónica de barrido y de luz. Se observó que el esófago presenta papilas dérmicas delgadas y cónicas que se enfrentan al estómago a través de la mucosa hasta la porción gastroesofágica, disminuyendo su tamaño al final de su extensión, cubierta por una capa gruesa de queratina sobre el tejido epitelial queratinizado. Se concluye que el esófago de Chelonia mydas está cubierto por una capa de papilas dérmicas queratinizadas cónicas importantes para ejercer la función mecánica y protectora de la mucosa de este órgano, considerando que la alimentación de estos animales es extremadamente abrasiva, además de servir de protección para que la comida no sea devuelta.
