Decellularized omentum as novel biologic scaffold for reconstructive surgery and regenerative medicine

Abstract

Homologous tissues, such as adipose tissue, may be an interesting source of acellular scaffolds, maintaining a complex physiological three-dimensional (3D) structure, to be recellularized with autologous cells. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the possibility of obtaining homologous acellular scaffolds from decellularization of the omentum, which is known to have a complex vascular network. Adult rat and human omenta were treated with an adapted decellularization protocol involving mechanical rupture (freeze-thaw cycles), enzymatic digestion (trypsin, lipase, deoxyribonuclease, ribonuclease) and lipid extraction (2-propanol). Histological staining confirmed the effectiveness of decellularization, resulting in cell-free scaffolds with no residual cells in the matrix. The complex 3D networks of collagen (azan-Mallory), elastic fibers (Van Gieson), reticular fibers and glycosaminoglycans (PAS) were maintained, whereas Oil Red and Sudan stains showed the loss of lipids in the decellularized tissue. The vascular structures in the tissue were still visible, with preservation of collagen and elastic wall components and loss of endothelial (anti-CD31 and -CD34 immunohistochemistry) and smooth muscle (anti-alpha smooth muscle actin) cells. Fat-rich and well vascularized omental tissue may be decellularized to obtain complex 3D scaffolds preserving tissue architecture potentially suitable for recellularization. Further analyses are necessary to verify the possibility of recolonization of the scaffold by adipose-derived stem cells in vitro and then in vivo after re implantation, as already known for homologus implants in regenerative processes.

Biocompatible surgical meshes based on decellularized human amniotic membrane

“…Lipase, an enzyme able to catalyze the hydrolysis of lipids, was used to digest the lipids of epithelial cells. But it is not sufficient enough to enzyme all lipids by itself [27]. Thus, some nuclei or DNA debris were still existed in the treated HAM.…”

Progress in developing decellularized bioscaffolds for enhancing skin construction

“…As a novel biological scaffold for regenerative medicine, decellularized omentum has been developed in the laboratory setting, 30 showing beneficial properties for cell seeding in vitro. However, no decellularized peritoneum has been prepared from patients with pathological status.…”

“…Furthermore, the omentum, which is part of the peritoneum, consists of a double sheet of peritoneal tissue and is hypervascular. As a novel biological scaffold for regenerative medicine, decellularized omentum has been developed in the laboratory setting, 30 showing beneficial properties for cell seeding in vitro. 31,32 Nevertheless, this material has not yet been used as a skin substitute.…”

Lamellar keratoplasty in rabbits using an allogeneic free omental graft and omentum-derived mesenchymal cells associated with the canine amniotic membrane

“…The characteristics (presence of mesenchymal PCs, growth factors and matrix structural macromolecules) of the omentum suggest that it could be associated with the AM (SHAH et al, 2012;PORZIONATO et al, 2013). In fact, studies were published on the benefits of free omental grafts (AZARI et al, 2010), as well omental progenitor or non-progenitor mesenchymal cells (GOMEZ-GIL et al, 2009), in tissue repair.…”