Collagen microfibers size effect on the reconstruction of vascularized adipose tissues for soft tissues regeneration applications

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K20199
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 90120:Biomaterials-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: LOUIS Fiona 大阪大学, 大学院工学研究科, 特任助教(常勤) (70838523)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: adipose tissue / breast reconstruction / vascularization / tissue injection / soft tissue regeneration

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Breast reconstruction is challenging, needing vasculature structure for a longer lifespan. We thus developed injectable prevascularized adipose tissues (iPAT), made from physiological collagen microfibers embedded in fibrin gel, mixed with cells naturally found in human breast: adipocytes, adipose-derived stem cells and endothelial cells.
The tissues were validated using murine subcutaneous implantation. After 3 months, they showed a higher cell survival and volume maintenance than non-prevascularized tissues. This higher survival was due to the greater amount of blood vessels found, also involving infiltration by lymphatic and neural vasculature networks. Furthermore, the iPAT can be cryopreserved for later reinjection and the process was validated using autologous cells (cells from the same patient) for clinical application. Finally, the scale-up of the process was performed by using a bioprinter for seeding the tissues and a bioreactor for the culture before injection.

Free Research Field

Tissue engineering

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

欠損した軟部組織を治療するための脂肪組織再生技術は、幅広い臨床応用が期待できる。自家細胞から成るiPAT組織球体を大量に培養し、スケールアップに成功したことから本iPAT技術は非侵襲的な組織再生を可能とし、長期的な治療効果をもたらすことが出来る臨床現場に資する技術であることを見出した。