Prospects and Challenges of Electrospun Cell and Drug Delivery Vehicles to Correct Urethral Stricture

Abstract

Current therapeutic modalities to treat urethral strictures are associated with several challenges and shortcomings. Therefore, significant strides have been made to develop strategies with minimal side effects and the highest therapeutic potential. In this framework, electrospun scaffolds incorporated with various cells or bioactive agents have provided promising vistas to repair urethral defects. Due to the biomimetic nature of these constructs, they can efficiently mimic the native cells’ niches and provide essential microenvironmental cues for the safe transplantation of multiple cell types. Furthermore, these scaffolds are versatile platforms for delivering various drug molecules, growth factors, and nucleic acids. This review discusses the recent progress, applications, and challenges of electrospun scaffolds to deliver cells or bioactive agents during the urethral defect repair process. First, the current status of electrospinning in urethral tissue engineering is presented. Then, the principles of electrospinning in drug and cell delivery applications are reviewed. Finally, the recent preclinical studies are summarized and the current challenges are discussed.

Biological Macromolecule-Based Scaffolds for Urethra Reconstruction

“…Urethroplasty, with a long-term success rate of 80-90%, is considered the gold standard treatment for urethral stricture [29]. End-to-end anastomotic urethroplasty is an effective method for strictures shorter than 2 cm, but it is not suitable for longer strictures [26]. Urethroplasty using onlay or inlay grafts is the preferred method for extensive strictures due to its straightforward The choice of surgical method for urethral stricture management depends on the size, location, and recurrence history of the stricture [27].…”

“…Phase 6 signifies the development of a complex urethral stricture that may lead to the formation of a fistula. Adopted from reference [ 26 ].…”

Pharmacotherapy of urethral stricture

“…However, this method of administration does not provide long-term drug bioavailability nor effective control of the drug release profile. 136 In addition, local injection of MMC should be avoided because the drug does not typically penetrate this tissue. Controlled injections in a healthy urethra may reduce the risk of sudden hyperinflation and flooding of the local tissue, which may lead to an increased risk of necrosis or fistula.…”

Tissue Engineering for Gastrointestinal and Genitourinary Tracts

“…1). Many techniques can be applied to create the scaffold, such as casting [2], electrospinning [3] or bioprinting [4]. In addition, the self-assembly technique is a reconstruction method which does not require any exogenous biomaterials [5].…”