Simulating The Layered Skin Structure Using layered-to- layered Nanofibers and Dermal Tissue-Derived Solubilized Extracellular Matrix
Simulating The Layered Skin Structure Using layered-to- layered Nanofibers and Dermal Tissue-Derived Solubilized Extracellular Matrix
Maryam Tamimi,1Fahimeh sangsefidi,2Sara Rajabi,3Khadijeh Baaji,4Tayyeb Ghadimi,5Mohamad Pezeshki-Modaress,6,*
1. Department of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medical Science, Iran University of Medical Sciences Tehran, Iran 2. Department of Polymer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Qom University of Technology, Qom, Iran 3. Department of Cell Engineering, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Iran 4. Soft Tissue Engineering Research Center, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Institute, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran 5. Burn Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 6. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Hazrat Fatemeh Hospital, School of Medicine, Iran
Introduction: Skin as the largest organs in human-beings body covers the external surface of whole body, exposing to different injuries, like burn, rupture, and cut[1]. Over the years, scientists tried to resolve these skin-related injuries using autograft and allograft. But the limitations associated with autograft and allograft, including the lack of donor tissue from the person with severe burn injuries and lack of donor tissue completely matched with the recipient without the risk of rejection made scientists find other solutions, which has been progressed toward tissue engineering-based approaches. Scaffolds, being material-based substrates, are used for tissue regeneration and created from diverse materials (synthetic, natural, and hybrid) and methods. Among all methods, electrospinning is a great deal of attention, resulting from the fact that its resulting nanofibers can mimic the nanostructure of native tissue[2][3][2]. In addition, the decellularization method is also interesting owing to producing extracellular matrix (ECM), while preserving agents within the native tissue, demonstrating its role in mimicking the nano contents of the native tissue. In other words, acellularization leaves a natural-based material termed ECM containing different contents available in the native ECM. Another appealing feature of this tissue-derived ECM is its role in improving the biocompatibility of fabricated constructs, approved in different studies[4][5]. Based on all above-mentioned issues, we aimed at fabricating a layered-to-layered construct using an electrospinning and decellularization to imitate the layered structure of skin and improve its biocompatibility.
Methods: Using the decellularization of dermal tissue and electrospinning, the basic components of targeted construct, nano fibers and ECM, were fabricated. After the decellularization of dermal tissue, its resulting ECM were solubilized in the acidic solvent. In the following, electrospun nanofibers and solubilized ECM were sequentially stacked, followed by its freeze-drying. Having been prepared, freeze-dried constructs were crosslinked and subjected to different tests to characterize its features, including its morphological aspects and porosity.
Results: Morphologically, the layered-to-layered constructs with porous structure was observed. In addition, it was demonstrated that the constructs had porosity more than 80% and high swelling. The biocompatibility of these constructs was revealed using the MTS assay.
Conclusion: These layered constructs with improvement in the biocompatibility can have potentiality to be used as a promising skin substitution. However, further investigations, including in vivo study, are needed.