Prevascularization of collagen-glycosaminoglycan scaffolds: stromal vascular fraction versus adipose tissue-derived microvascular fragments

BACKGROUND: The seeding of scaffolds with the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) of adipose tissue is a common prevascularization strategy in tissue engineering. Alternatively, adipose tissue-derived microvascular fragments (ad-MVF) may serve as vascularization units. In contrast to SVF single cells, they represent a mixture of intact arteriolar, capillary and venular vessel segments. Therefore, we herein hypothesized that the ad-MVF-based prevascularization of scaffolds is superior to the conventional SVF single cells-based approach. RESULTS: SVF single cells and ad-MVF were enzymatically isolated from epididymal fat pads of green fluorescent protein (GFP)(+) donor mice to assess their viability and cellular composition using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Moreover, collagen-glycosaminoglycan matrices (Integra®) were seeded with identical amounts of the isolates and implanted into full-thickness skin defects within dorsal skinfold chambers of GFP(−) recipient mice for the intravital fluorescent microscopic, histological and immunohistochemical analysis of implant vascularization and incorporation throughout an observation period of 2 weeks. Non-seeded matrices served as controls. While both isolates contained a comparable fraction of endothelial cells, perivascular cells, adipocytes and stem cells, ad-MVF exhibited a significantly higher viability. After in vivo implantation, the vascularization of ad-MVF-seeded scaffolds was improved when compared to SVF-seeded ones, as indicated by a significantly higher functional microvessel density. This was associated with an enhanced cellular infiltration, collagen content and density of CD31(+)/GFP(+) microvessels particularly in the center of the implants, demonstrating a better incorporation into the surrounding host tissue. In contrast, non-seeded matrices exhibited a poor vascularization, incorporation and epithelialization over time. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates that ad-MVF are highly potent vascularization units that markedly accelerate and improve scaffold vascularization when compared to the SVF. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s13036-018-0118-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.