Pattison Megan, Webster Thomas J, Leslie Jeffrey, Kaefer Martin, Haberstroh Karen M
Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, 206 S. Intramural Drive West Lafayette, IN 47907-2032, USA.
Macromol Biosci. 2007 May 10;7(5):690-700. doi: 10.1002/mabi.200600297.
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.
需要根治性膀胱切除术的膀胱癌，以及导致膀胱梗阻的先天性和后天性疾病，都需要采取手术措施（包括扩大膀胱容量）；此类诊断带来了对有效膀胱替代植入物设计的临床需求。最近许多软组织替代材料的设计方法都依赖于合成聚合物物质的使用；不幸的是，尚未找到最佳的软组织植入材料。这可能部分是因为当前的聚合物配方未能充分模拟邻近的膀胱组织。本研究采用了一种全新的方法，通过使用纳米技术或具有纳米（小于100纳米）表面特征的材料来设计下一代组织工程膀胱构建体。结果表明，使用化学蚀刻技术制备的纳米结构聚合物支架（特别是聚乳酸-羟基乙酸共聚物和聚氨酯）能够增强人膀胱平滑肌细胞的粘附、增殖以及细胞外基质（ECM）蛋白的产生。初步的体内结果也表明了此类纳米结构材料的实用性。综合来看，这些发现表明纳米尺寸的聚乳酸-羟基乙酸共聚物和聚氨酯支架有望成为人体膀胱壁的替代材料。
