In-vivo trachea regeneration: fabrication of a tissue-engineered trachea in nude mice using the body as a natural bioreactor.

purposeTo investigate the outcomes of implanting rat decellularized trachea scaffold (DTS) between the paravertebral muscles of nude mice using the body as a bioreactor for total graft recellularization.

methodsThe tracheas of four rats were aseptically resected and decellularized. To assess the efficiency of the decellularization procedure, all decellularized scaffolds and native control tissues were evaluated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), DAPI staining, DNA quantification, biomechanical analyses and hydroxyproline measurement. They were then implanted between the paravertebral muscles of four nude mice. The biopsies were precisely evaluated at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively for tracheal cartilage and soft tissue recellularization by staining for TTF1, CD34, S100 and leukocyte common antibody.

resultsHematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, SEM and the tensile test confirmed the preservation of the tissue structure and the biophysical and biochemical properties of the DTS. The present study clearly demonstrated that the hydroxyproline content of the DTS was similar to that of the native tissue. On the other hand, in biopsy samples obtained after 12 months, histological evaluation showed superior organization and cell seeding in both the cartilage and connective tissues.

conclusionThis study demonstrated the feasibility of using a natural bioreactor for recellularizing DTS; this may have the potential to facilitate homologous transplantation for repairing segmental trachea defects.