Engineered Tissue for Augmentation Penoplasty Using Chondrocytes and Biodegradable Polymers

Park, Heung Jae; Kwon, Chil Hun

Abstract

PURPOSE: Materials used in penoplasty have several disadvantages upto now. It would be attractive to make enough tissue without any drawbacks for plastic surgery from autologous tissue. In this study we have pursued to reconstruct cartilaginous tissue feasible for penoplasty by tissue engineering using chondrocytes and polyglycolic acid (PGA) polymers.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Chondrocytes were harvested from articular joint of swine and expanded by culture. Cells were seeded onto sterilized PGA scaffolds designed in various shapes at a concentration of 5x107/ml. Total 28 cell-polymer complexes and 8 polymers without cell (control) were implanted onto 12 nude mice. They were sacrificed 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks after implantation to get the implants. Gross and histologic analysis were performed including hematoxylin & eosin (H-E) stain, toluidine blue stain.
RESULTS
All the animals were grown without any complications. Milky firm predesigned-shaped cartilaginous tissues were obtained at 8 weeks after implantation grossly. Histologically mature cartilage-like structures were found in the 8 week's retrived tissue in H-E and toluidine blue stains. Almost all the polymer structures were degraded at 8 weeks.
CONCLUSIONS
Cartilaginous tissues were reconstructed successfully using chondrocytes and PGA polymers by tissue engineering in vivo. These elastic structures could be used for penoplasty instead of other materials if confirmed about safty in human. This study showed possibilities to apply this technique in the fields of plastic and reconstructive surgery.