Cervical tissue engineering using silk scaffolds and human cervical cells

Tissue Eng Part A. 2010 Jun;16(6):2101-12. doi: 10.1089/ten.tea.2009.0457.

Abstract

Spontaneous preterm birth is a frequent complication of pregnancy and a common cause of morbidity in childhood. Obstetricians suspect abnormalities of the cervix are implicated in a significant number of preterm births. The cervix is composed of fibrous connective tissue and undergoes significant remodeling in preparation for birth. We hypothesized that a tissue engineering strategy could be used to develop three-dimensional cervical-like tissue constructs that would be suitable for investigating cervical remodeling. Cervical cells were isolated from two premenopausal women undergoing hysterectomy for a benign gynecological condition, and the cells were seeded on porous silk scaffolds in the presence or absence of dynamic culture and with 10% or 20% serum. Morphological, biochemical, and mechanical properties were measured during the 8-week culture period. Cervical cells proliferated in three-dimensions and synthesized an extracellular matrix with biochemical constituents and morphology similar to native tissue. Compared to static culture, dynamic culture was associated with significantly increased collagen deposition (p < 0.05), sulfated glycosaminoglycan synthesis (p < 0.05), and mechanical stiffness (p < 0.05). Serum concentration did not affect measured variables. Relevant human tissue-engineered cervical-like constructs constitute a novel model system for a range of fundamental and applied studies related to cervical remodeling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bioreactors
  • Cell Survival / physiology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cervix Uteri / cytology*
  • Cervix Uteri / metabolism
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Materials Testing
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Silk / chemistry*
  • Tissue Engineering / methods*
  • Tissue Scaffolds / chemistry*

Substances

  • Silk