Electrospun Collagen: A Tissue Engineering Scaffold with Unique Functional Properties in a Wide Variety of Applications
Figure 5
Muscle Fabrication: 3 Weeks. (a) Cross-section through the wall of cylindrical construct placed within the tissue of the rat vastus lateralis. M = endogenous host muscle tissue, TZ = transitional zone occupied by the wall of the electrospun construct. Note the lack of a fibrotic capsule. ((b), (c)) Sections taken from within the lumen of the tissue, dense cell populations are evident as are nascent myotubes (*). Scattered vascular elements are apparent and intermingle with the surrounding cell population. (d) TEM cross-section of developing myotube with forming myofibrillar elements (arrows). (e) Cell labeling experiments indicate that few cells migrate out of the implanted tissues (arrowhead). The bulk of the labeled cells are retained within the lumen of the electrospun constructs. (f) Tissue fabricated from gelatin undergoes necrosis and develops a fibrotic capsule (FC). CC = central core of implant.
