Fate of artificial tissue scaffolds implanted into the rabbit epimyocard

Abstract

Fetal and bone marrow stem cells are supposed to be the key players in stem-cell-based therapies. Our aim was to evaluate the potency of two different types of stem cells and their spontaneous behavior in vivo after implantation into the epimyocard of healthy rabbit heart ventricles. For this purpose, rabbit allogenic fetal and autologous bone marrow stem cells were seeded on collagen scaffolds and subsequently implanted into the epimyocard of heart ventricles. Two months later these scaffolds were removed and a histological analysis was performed. The results have shown that different types of stem cells have generated two different types of structures in the sites of implantation. Autologous bone marrow cells in the collagen scaffold showed a chondrogenic differentiation pathway. Fetal cells were destroyed by the host immune system, although formation of allogenic structures in the epimyocard was observed, implying that cells of different sources in collagen scaffolds, after implantation in vivo, undergo differentiation.