Histology of ventral abdominal incisions in a porcine model - in vivo experiment with incorporation of artificial meshes
Abstrakt
We examined the tissue reaction to incorporation of two types of artificial tissue-engineered meshes in porcine abdominal wall after 6 and 12 weeks of regeneration. Using six quantitative histological parameters, the area fraction of type I collagen, actin-positive smooth muscle cells and myofibroblasts, and the microvessel density was assessed in the healing incision and 2 cm laterally from the incision.
From histological point of view, both types of scaffolds were well and uniformly integrated within the collagenous connective tissue of the healing incision. The presence of both types of scaffolds led to increased amount of contractile myofibroblasts within the healing incision, but the amount of microvessels in samples with scaffolds was comparable with samples without scaffolds.
In one of these scaffolds, the microvessel density was positively correlated with the fraction of type I collagen.