The Peritoneum: Health, Disease, and Perspectives regarding Tissue Engineering and Cell Therapies

Abstract

There are several pathologies associated with the peritoneum, such as mesothelioma and peritonitis. Moreover, the peritoneum is widely used in ultrafiltration procedures, i.e., peritoneal dialysis, presenting advantages over hemodialysis. On the other hand, ultrafiltration failure may lead to dialysis-induced fibrosis and hypervolemia. Therefore, the pathophysiological study of this tissue is of extreme biomedical importance. Studies investigating the biology of the cells dwelling in the peritoneum wall provide evidence of their plasticity and progenitor features. For instance, both mesothelial and submesothelial cells present characteristics similar to mesenchymal stem cells, including osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation potential, support of extramedullary hematopoiesis, modulation of inflammatory responses, and regulation of tumor progression. Indeed, the participation of each cell type in peritoneal pathological and physiological phenomena is still under debate, especially regarding a possible differentiation pathway connecting these peritoneal cells. The primary aim of this review is to raise this discussion. In order to do so, we will firstly provide an overview of the peritoneum anatomy, histology, and ontology, and finally we will address how a better understanding of peritoneal cell biology may contribute to future cell therapy and tissue engineering approaches.

Small Bowel Obstruction Induced by Concurrent Postoperative Intra-Abdominal Adhesions and Small Bowel Fecal Materials in a Young Dog

“…Most recently, APG was demonstrated to have a preventive effect on peritoneal adhesion by transplanting mesothelial cells and rapid reperitonealization [ 34 ]. Mesothelial cells form the thin basement membrane of the peritoneum and are supported by a submesothelial layer consisting of a connective tissue stroma [ 35 ]. The mesothelial cells maintain the serosal integrity, and their progenitor cells could play an important role in peritoneal remodeling [ 35 ].…”

“…Mesothelial cells form the thin basement membrane of the peritoneum and are supported by a submesothelial layer consisting of a connective tissue stroma [ 35 ]. The mesothelial cells maintain the serosal integrity, and their progenitor cells could play an important role in peritoneal remodeling [ 35 ]. Thus, preservation of functional mesothelial cells is a necessary factor for adhesion prevention, and an APG can provide mesothelial reconstruction and preserve the function of the transplanted mesothelial cells [ 34 ].…”

Standardisierte histomorphologische Aufarbeitung von Peritonealbiopsien im Rahmen des Deutschen Peritonealbiopsieregisters (GRIP, German Registry In PD)

“…Die pathologischen Veränderungen des Peritoneums [ 4 ] entsprechen denen anderer seröser Häute und reichen von akuten und chronischen Entzündungen mit oder ohne Fibrinbelägen bis hin zu einer Fibrosierung der submesothelialen Kompakta (Abb. 2 a, b) mit Zunahme der Vaskularisierung, d. h. der Gefäßdichte und Veränderungen der Gefäßwände (Abb.…”

Co‐culture with peritoneum mesothelial stem cells supports the in vitro growth of mouse ovarian follicles

“…The parietal peritoneum is the outer layer that is attached to the abdominal and the pelvic walls and the visceral peritoneum is the inner layer wrapped around visceral organs such as ovary. 30 The serosa membranes of peritoneum and ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) have similar embryological origins and both are lined by mesothelium and submesothelium. 29,31 The mesothelium contains mesothelial cells (MCs) and mesothelial progenitor cells, 30 while submesothelial is a loose connective tissue containing blood, lymphatic vessels, nerves, adipocyte, fibroblast, and mesothelial stem cells.…”

“…30 The serosa membranes of peritoneum and ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) have similar embryological origins and both are lined by mesothelium and submesothelium. 29,31 The mesothelium contains mesothelial cells (MCs) and mesothelial progenitor cells, 30 while submesothelial is a loose connective tissue containing blood, lymphatic vessels, nerves, adipocyte, fibroblast, and mesothelial stem cells. 20,30 The mechanism of peritoneal regeneration confirms the involvement of mesothelial stem cells in the healing process.…”