Premium
Evaluating the In Vitro and In Vivo Efficacy of Nano‐Structured Polymers for Bladder Tissue Replacement Applications
Author(s) -
Pattison Megan,
Webster Thomas J.,
Leslie Jeffrey,
Kaefer Martin,
Haberstroh Karen M.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
macromolecular bioscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.924
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1616-5195
pISSN - 1616-5187
DOI - 10.1002/mabi.200600297
Subject(s) - cystectomy , biomedical engineering , extracellular matrix , tissue engineering , bladder cancer , soft tissue , implant , plga , adhesion , materials science , nanotechnology , chemistry , surgery , medicine , cancer , nanoparticle , composite material , biochemistry
Abstract Bladder cancers requiring radical cystectomy, along with congenital and acquired disorders which result in obstruction of the bladder, necessitate surgical measures (including augmentation); such diagnoses bring a clinical need for effective bladder replacement implant designs. Many recent approaches for the design of soft tissue replacement materials have relied on the use of synthetic polymeric substances; unfortunately, the optimal soft tissue implant material is yet to be found. This may, in part, be because current polymeric formulations fail to sufficiently biomimic the neighboring bladder tissue. This study took a brand new approach in designing the next generation of tissue‐engineered bladder constructs through the use of nanotechnology, or materials with nanometer (less than 100 nm) surface features. Results provided evidence that nano‐structured polymeric scaffolds (specifically, PLGA and PU) created using chemical etching techniques are capable of enhancing the human bladder smooth muscle cell adhesion, proliferation, and the production of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Preliminary in vivo results also speak to the usefulness of such nano‐structured materials. In combination, these findings suggest that nano‐dimensional PLGA and PU scaffolds are promising replacement materials for the human bladder wall.