Italiano di Tecnologia~ Napoli, [3] Centre of Biotechnologies Cardarelli Hospital. ~ Napoli, [4] Department of ... sign of inflammation. No animals of either group ...
LXVIII CONVEGNO SISVET, XI CONVEGNO AIPVET E XII CONVEGNO SIRA 16 BIOACTIVABLE SCAFFOLD FOR NEOANGIOGENESIS IN TISSUE REGENERATION De Gregorio M.*[4],Vilardi E.[2],Porzio M.[1],Castaldo S.[3],D Angelo L.[4], Rossi L. [2], Attanasio C. [2] ,Netti P.A.[2][1]. [1] Interdepartmental Research Centre on Biomaterials ~ Napoli, [2] Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia~ Napoli, [3] Centre of Biotechnologies Cardarelli Hospital ~ Napoli, [4] Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production ~ Napoli. Angiogenesis is the process through which new blood vessels are formed from pre-‐existing vessels. This process occurs physiologically during organ and tissue development and in tissues repair. Regeneration of injured tissues is one of the main goals of tissue engineering. Angiogenesis is the process through which new blood vessels are formed from pre-‐existing vessels. This process occurs physiologically during organ and tissue development and in tissues repair. Regeneration of injured tissues is one of the main goals of tissue engineering implying the recovery of lost biological functions. Angiogenesis represents a key event triggering the formation of a vascular network able to provide oxygen and nutrients to the neoformed tissue. Biocompatible scaffolds represent a valuable structural support, but also as a potential guide of regenerative processes because of mechanical, topographical and/or biochemical signals. To test our hypothesis, both in vitro and in vivo experiments were carried out. Scaffolds morphology and structures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and micro-‐computed tomography (micro-‐CT), while cell-‐ material interaction was investigated seeding Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells in 2D and 3D culture systems. Cell viability, adhesion and distribution within the scaffold were evaluated at different time-‐points by confocal microscopy. An in vivo trial was then performed to test and compare biocompatibility, safety and effectiveness of the two constructs. Scaffolds were implanted subcutaneously in rats and retrieved 7 and 21 days after the implant. PCL scaffolds were perfectly integrated in the surrounding tissue without any sign of inflammation. No animals of either group received immunosuppressive drugs. PCL scaffold neovascularization after retrieval was evaluated by micro-‐CT analysis. In conclusion, in our models both alginate and PCL constructs showed a strong in vitro biocompatibility, whereas PCL revealed a better performance in the in vivo study. On the basis of this results we plan to perform further experiments integrating angiogenic factors into the scaffold to improve the temporal control of neoangiogenesis and the functionality of the neoformed vascular network.