Stem Cells International (Jan 2017)

Tissue Engineering to Repair Diaphragmatic Defect in a Rat Model

  • G. P. Liao,
  • Y. Choi,
  • K. Vojnits,
  • H. Xue,
  • K. Aroom,
  • F. Meng,
  • H. Y. Pan,
  • R. A. Hetz,
  • C. J. Corkins,
  • T. G. Hughes,
  • F. Triolo,
  • A. Johnson,
  • Kenneth J. Moise,
  • K. P. Lally,
  • C. S. Cox,
  • Y. Li

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/1764523
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2017

Abstract

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Tissue engineering is an emerging strategy for repairing damaged tissues or organs. The current study explored using decellularized rat diaphragm scaffolds combined with human amniotic fluid-derived multipotent stromal cells (hAFMSC) to provide a scaffold, stem cell construct that would allow structural barrier function during tissue ingrowth/regeneration. We created an innovative cell infusion system that allowed hAFMSC to embed into scaffolds and then implanted the composite tissues into rats with surgically created left-sided diaphragmatic defects. Control rats received decellularized diaphragm scaffolds alone. We found that the composite tissues that combined hAFMSCs demonstrated improved physiological function as well as the muscular-tendon structure, compared with the native contralateral hemidiaphragm of the same rat. Our results indicate that the decellularized diaphragm scaffolds are a potential support material for diaphragmatic hernia repair and the composite grafts with hAFMSC are able to accelerate the functional recovery of diaphragmatic hernia.