Assessing the potential regeneration ability of corpus spongiosum in rabbit models

Abstract

Corpus spongiosum (CS) is an important ingredient for the structural and functional integrity of the male spongy urethra (de Graaf et al., 2018). Both congenital and acquired urethral diseases can induce injury to CS. In patients with hypospadias or anterior urethral stricture, substitution urethroplasty using nonurethral tissues such as oral mucosa or penile skin flap is often performed to reconstruct urethra (Barbagli & Lazzeri, 2006). The fibrotic urethra and CS need to be removed before urethral reconstruction, inevitably leading to defect of the CS. Moreover, urethra reconstruction only reconstructs the urethral lumen, not the CS. The absence of CS could cause a decrease in the blood supply of the urethra and a lack of mechanical protection, which has negative impacts on reconstructed neo-urethra (Tonkin & Jordan, 2009). The main obstacle to successful repair of CS defect is the lack of suitable autologous tissues to serve as a substitute. However, patients with urethral defect usually have relatively healthy spongiosum tissue at the distal, proximal or dorsal side of the defective urethra. Enhancing regeneration or repair of CS defect may improve the long-term outcomes of substitution urethroplasty. But so far, only few tissue engineering or regenerative medicine strategies for promoting the regeneration of CS defect were reported (de Vocht et al., 2018). Acellular corporal spongiosum seeded with lingual keratinocytes and autologous corporal smooth muscle cells was used to repair urethral and CS defect (Feng et al., 2011). Histological

Extracellular matrix analysis of fibrosis: A step towards tissue engineering for urethral stricture disease

“…Surgical treatment consists of excision of the fibrotic part and primary anastomosis (EPA) or grafting when the stricture is long, using buccal mucosa or prepuce. The corpus spongiosum (CS) is an integral part of the urethra [ 1 ], provides support and is essential for healing of the urethra [ 2 ]. In case of advanced USD, the fibrotic process extends from the epithelium into the CS, so called spongiofibrosis.…”