A hydrogel derived from decellularized dermal extracellular matrix

Abstract

The ECM of mammalian tissues has been used as a scaffold to facilitate the repair and reconstruction of numerous tissues. Such scaffolds are prepared in many forms including sheets, powders, and hydrogels. ECM hydrogels provide advantages such as injectability, the ability to fill an irregularly shaped space, and the inherent bioactivity of native matrix. However, material properties of ECM hydrogels and the effect of these properties upon cell behavior are neither well understood nor controlled. The objective of this study was to prepare and determine the structure, mechanics, and the cell response in vitro and in vivo of ECM hydrogels prepared from decellularized porcine dermis and urinary bladder tissues. Dermal ECM hydrogels were characterized by a more dense fiber architecture and greater mechanical integrity than urinary bladder ECM hydrogels, and showed a dose dependent increase in mechanical properties with ECM concentration. In vitro, dermal ECM hydrogels supported greater C2C12 myoblast fusion, and less fibroblast infiltration and less fibroblast mediated hydrogel contraction than urinary bladder ECM hydrogels. Both hydrogels were rapidly infiltrated by host cells, primarily macrophages, when implanted in a rat abdominal wall defect. Both ECM hydrogels degraded by 35 days in vivo, but UBM hydrogels degraded more quickly, and with greater amounts of myogenesis than dermal ECM. These results show that ECM hydrogel properties can be varied and partially controlled by the scaffold tissue source, and that these properties can markedly affect cell behavior.

Injectable Extracellular Matrix Hydrogels as Scaffolds for Spinal Cord Injury Repair

“…31 A similar effect has also been described for ECM hydrogels derived from porcine dermis as well as urinary bladder seeded with fibroblasts. 21 When used as a cell vehicle in vivo to fill the lesion cavity, the rapid gel contraction may then result in inhomogeneous scaffold distribution within the lesion. Moreover, when injected into the lesion, the ECM hydrogels may further contract over time as they are populated with various endogenous cells, such as fibroblasts or epithelial cells.…”

“…The ECM matrices were derived from porcine spinal cord and urinary bladder and processed into an injectable hydrogel form as was described previously. 19,21 Regarding the different tissue sources used, SC-ECM and UB-ECM hydrogels were prepared using different decellularization methods and differed in their composition as well as in their physical and biological properties. 19,21 Despite the lack of a native 3D ultrastructure from the source tissue, ECM hydrogels retain their biological activity and possess mechanical properties similar to that of soft neural tissue, with the advantage of injectability and in situ polymerization, which offer minimally invasive delivery techniques and facilitate the possibility of clinical translation.…”

Peptide Hydrogels—A Tissue Engineering Strategy for the Prevention of Oesophageal Strictures

“…Hydrogels have many advantages over decellularized tubular scaffolds, including injectability, use of minimally invasive procedures, capacity for repeat administrations, fine-tuned mechanical properties, ability to fill an irregularly shaped space, and bioactivity to mimic native tissue ECM. [13] For these reasons, decellularized ECM hydrogels have been developed, which may also provide an opportunity for stricture management in the future.…”

“…After in vivo implantation in a rat abdominal wall defect model, both hydrogels had degraded by 35 d, and UBM hydrogels were found to support greater amounts of myogenesis compared to dermal hydrogels. [13] Decellularized hydrogels are progressing toward clinical trials and are currently being investigated for oesophageal strictures to facilitate repair and reconstruction.…”

The Role of Acellular Flowable Matrix in Tissue Regeneration

“…Such scaffolds are prepared in many forms including sheets, powders, and hydrogels. [2] The ECM is a complex network structure that surrounds and supports cells. It is filled with ECM molecules like proteins and proteoglycans, which are secreted by the cells.…”