Critically sized defects in subcutaneous white adipose tissue result in extensive disfigurement and dysfunction and remain a reconstructive challenge for surgeons; as larger defect sizes are correlated with higher rates of complications and failure due to insufficient vascularization following implantation. Our study demonstrates, for the first time, a method to engineer perfusable, pre-vascularized, high-density adipose grafts that combine patient-derived adipose cells with a decellularized lung matrix (DLM). The lung is one of the most vascularized organs with high flow, low resistance, and a large blood-alveolar interface separated by a thin basement membrane. For our work, the large volume capacity within the alveolar compartment was repurposed for high-density adipose cell filling, while the acellular vascular bed provided efficient graft perfusion throughout. Both adipocytes and hASCs were successfully delivered and remained in the alveolar space even after weeks of culture. While adipose-derived cells maintained their morphology and functionality in both static and perfusion DLM cultures, perfusion culture offered enhanced outcomes over static culture. Furthermore, we demonstrate that endothelial cells seamlessly integrate into the acellular vascular tree of the DLM with adipocytes. These results support that the DLM is a unique platform for creating vascularized adipose tissue grafts for large defect filling.
Keywords: adipocytes; adipose; decellularized extracellular matrix; defect filling; endothelial cells; perfusion culture; stem cells; subcutaneous; tissue engineering; vascularized graft.