A COMPLEX ECM 3D SCAFFOLD WITH VASCULAR CHANNELS BY DECELLULARIZATION OF HUMAN AND RAT OMENTUM

INTRODUCTION: lack of vascular network affects the long term survival in grafts of considerable size, while flaps have limited availability and imply co-morbidity. A bioengineered graft with organized vascular channels may overcome this limit: decellularized omentum was investigated as potential source of ECM 3D scaffold with preformed vascular network. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rat and human omentum samples were de-cellularized with a modified protocol for adipose tissue. At each step samples were collected for histological and immunohistochemical assessment of the effectiveness of the protocol. RESULTS: Histological and IHC samples showed effective cell removal with preservation of ECM structure and composition. Blood vessel walls in particular appeared intact, maintaining their general architecture. CONCLUSION: Omentum decellularization appears as a feasible strategy to obtain a scaffold with complex ECM and a preserved flap-like vascular channel network, which may support and stimulate guided cell growth in vitro or in vivo. It could represent an innovative option for more effective closure of soft tissue defects.