Comparison Study of Tissue-Engineered Oral Mucosa with Different Scaffolds

Objectives: To develop and compare tissue-engineered oral mucosa with scaffolds of Polyglycolic Acid (PGA), collagen membrane and human cadaveric dermis, Alloderm ex vivo. Methods: Tissue-engineered oral mucosa were reconstructed by seeding human oral fibroblasts (OFCs) onto PGA cultured for 4 days, and seeding human oral keratinocytes (OKCs) on PGA-OFC compound, collagen membrane and Alloderm, respectively. They were cultured for 7 days submerged and then for 7 days at air-liquid interface. Samples of the composites were taken for histologic examination at day 7 and day 14 since OKCs were seeded. Results: After 4 days culture, OFCs adhered to PGA fiber, proliferated and secreted collagen. At day 7 since OKCs were seeded, all the composites formed a continuous monolayer. at day 14, multi-layer epithelia without hemidesmosome and basal membrane was observed in composites of PGA; that of Alloderm showed normal epithelia structures, with hemidesmosoma, basal membrane and cell pseudopod into lamina propria; collagen membrane degenerated at day 14 and was difficult to handle. Conclusions: Collagen membrane is not applicable for scaffold of tissue engineered oral mucosa. Composites with PGA and Alloderm showed better histology fabric with a promising use.