Histological Assessment of Various Forms of Adipose For 3D Printing Wound Healing Grafts

Introduction: Chronic wound healing remains a persistent medical challenge, prompting the exploration of innovative approaches for making advanced wound dressings.  One such technique is 3D bioprinting, which is happening in the US with the Aplicor 3D system that uses autologous adipose tissue to create a personalized wound covering. Variations in sample preparation can affect the mechanical properties and internal micro architecture of these tissues. In this study, an in vitro analysis was conducted of the autologous adipose in various stages of processing.  The three forms that were histologically assessed include:  unprocessed adipose lipoaspirate, micronized adipose tissue, and 3D Printed adipose. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the morphological and biological properties, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC) was conducted to compare the adipose as it goes through various stages of processing. This analysis provides crucial insights into the regenerative potential of material at each stage, contributing to the optimization of personalized wound care strategies.Methods:We employ histological analysis and immunohistochemical staining of adipose tissue in its unprocessed and micronized forms. Samples were fixed, paraffin embedded, and stained with H&E as well as IHC labels for Collagen (Types I), Fibrilin-1, Fibronectin, and VEGF.Results:Histological assessment elucidates the understanding of the morphology and protein composition of unprocessed and micronized adipose tissue. Comparison of the unprocessed with the micronized adipose tissue provides insights in the suitability of the latter one for its use in 3D bioprinting of personalized scaffolds.Discussion: A deeper understanding of the histological and immunohistochemical assessment of unprocessed and micronized adipose tissue key morphological and protein composition, provides valuable insights into the healing potential of these materials. The morphology and composition of extracellular matrix components underscores the potential of micronized adipose tissue as a promising bioink for regenerative medicine applications. These findings pave the way for further investigation into the development of tailored wound care strategies, utilizing a 3D Printing technology to harness the regenerative potential of autologous adipose tissue.References: