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In vivo human corpus cavernosum regeneration: fabrication of tissue-engineered corpus cavernosum in rat using the body as a natural bioreactor

  • Urology - Original Paper
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Abstract

Purpose

Few researches have been conducted to develop an ideal method for tissue engineering of corpus cavernosum. We produce a decellularized human corpus cavernosum scaffold and investigate the in vivo cell seeding of the scaffold after transplantation into the rat omentum.

Methods

Eight adult human male corpus cavernosum were obtained in sterile condition. After dissecting the urethra, corpus cavernosum was decellularized by inserting an 18-gauge needle into the body of the tissue. The gauge was connected to a peristaltic pump to circulate the detergents in the corpus. Several assessments were performed to evaluate the efficacy of decellularization and extracellular matrix (ECM) preservation. A section of decellularized scaffold was washed several times and transplanted into the omentum of 4 male healthy Sprague–Dawley rats and located into the scrotum. Biopsies were taken 1, 3, and 6 months after transplantation. Histological examination, SEM, and immunohistochemical staining were performed to assess the efficacy of natural recellularization.

Results

The results of the examinations performed prior to transplantation revealed a decellularized ECM resembling to the native tissue with normal pits that may be appropriate for further in vivo cell seeding. Histopathology examination of the biopsies after transplantations confirmed successful cell seeding with endothelium-like cells in different time points. CD34 staining was dominant in the short-time biopsies, while CD31 staining was higher than CD34 in long-term specimens.

Conclusion

The feasibility of natural bioreactor in recellularizing corpus cavernosum was confirmed. This technique may have the potential to facilitate homologous transplantation for repair of corpus defects.

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Abbreviations

SEM:

Scanning electron microscopy

ECM:

Extracellular matrix

DCC:

Decellularized corpus cavernosum

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Acknowledgements

We are highly grateful from Mrs. S. Lotfi for her precise final linguistic revision of the manuscript.

Funding

This study was funded by Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Grant Number 48965). We affirm that there was no source of extra-institutional funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Urology and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Section of Tissue Engineering and Stem Cells Therapy, Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, No. 62, Dr. Gharib’s Street, Keshavarz Boulevard, Tehran, 1419433151, Iran

    Abdol-Mohammad Kajbafzadeh, Reza Abbasioun, Nastaran Sabetkish, Shabnam Sabetkish & Ali Akbar Habibi

  2. Department of Urology and Renal Transplantation, Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

    Kamyar Tavakkolitabassi

Authors
  1. Abdol-Mohammad Kajbafzadeh
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  2. Reza Abbasioun
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  3. Nastaran Sabetkish
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  4. Shabnam Sabetkish
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  5. Ali Akbar Habibi
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  6. Kamyar Tavakkolitabassi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Abdol-Mohammad Kajbafzadeh.

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Conflict of interest

None of the authors has direct or indirect commercial financial incentive associating with publishing the article and does not have any conflict of interest and will sign the Disclosing Form.

Ethical approval

All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

Informed consent

All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Kajbafzadeh, AM., Abbasioun, R., Sabetkish, N. et al. In vivo human corpus cavernosum regeneration: fabrication of tissue-engineered corpus cavernosum in rat using the body as a natural bioreactor. Int Urol Nephrol 49, 1193–1199 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-017-1582-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-017-1582-2

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