Reza Khorramirouz

1. Application of body as a novel bioreactor for in vivo
pancreas tissue engineering
J Hashemi 1, P Pasalar 1, M Soleimani 2, R Khorramirouz 3, AM Kajbafzadeh 3
1 Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medical Sciences, Tehran University of
Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2 Department of Hematology, School of Medical Sciences,
2Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran 3 Pediatric Urology and Regenerative
Medicine Research Center , Section of Tissue Engineering and Stem Cells Therapy,
Department of Pediatric Urology, Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Tehran, Iran(IR)
INTRODUCTION
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune destruction
of pancreatic cells . Insulin replacement therapy represents
the current gold standard treatment but exogenous insulin
cannot imitate the physiology of insulin secretion . Organ
transplantation is an acceptable treatment for native organ
failure. However due to many reasons, such as lack of donor
and immunosuppression, it is associated with many problems
. We present a novel model for in vivo recellularization of
acellular pancreas by implanting between the host pancreas
and adjacent omental flap.
RESULTS
All implanted decellularized pancreases were
removed at 2 and 4 weeks post transplantation.
The samples were recognized by prolene sutures
and the omentum can easily be separated from the
tissue but distinction between host and implanted
tissue was performed under the surgical
microscope. The decellularized implanted tissue
was illustrious from the native organ and was
easily dissected free from the omentum and
adjacent tissues. The Histopathological analysis
showed marked recellularization of acellular
pancreas with marked neovascularization and
neoβ-cells with minimal inflammatory response
were observed. CD 31, vimentin and PDX1
staining showed positive staining in implanted
sample after 1 month postoperatively .
METHODS
Twelve pancreases were harvested and cannulated via
common bile duct. The scaffolds were decellularized by
detergent based protocol and infused with methylene blue in
order to confirm vascular integrity prior to implantation.
Twelve rats were anesthetized and opened with midline
incision. The decellularized scaffold was stretched over the
host pancreas and the omentum was wrapped around it to
make a sandwich like structure, then fixed with chromic
sutures 6-0 and marked with prolene 4-0 at four borders.
Then the abdomen was closed and the animals were
followed up. After 1 and 2 month post-transplant the biopsy
was taken and evaluated by pathological evaluation. CD
31,vimentin and PDX 1 immunofluorescent staining were
applied for the samples .
Fig.2: Immunohistochemical staining of recellularized
pancreas
DISCUSSION & CONCLUSIONS
The preliminary results of this novel technique
promising for pancreas tissue engineering. We
observed that in vivo graft of decellularized
pancreas can promote in situ recellularization,
proliferation and differentiation possibly by
circulating stem cells. These findings could pave
the road for management of diabetic rat model.
P 257
Fig.3. HE staining of implanted graft
Fig. 1: Steps of transplant process.
Fig.1. ductal cannulation for decellularization process