Importance of extracellular matrix dynamics after surgical implantation of acellular scaffold

Extracellular matrix dynamics mediates many important biological activities including tissue repairing process. Acellular scaffolds would be involved in the extracellular matrix dynamics of the host tissue after in vivo implantation. The remodeling process of acellular scaffold is also the reestablishment of extracellular matrix dynamics in acellular scaffold. In order to study the role of extracellular matrix dynamics on the remodeling process of acellular scaffold, acellular bovine pericardium (S1) and acellular bovine dermis (S2) were prepared. The in vitro characteristics and in vivo performance for dura defect repairing were tested. The results indicated that extracellular matrix dynamics played an important role after surgical implantation of the acellular scaffold. The extracellular matrix dynamics of the acellular scaffold restarted along with the infiltration of the host cells. The thoroughly degradation of S2 showed that an equilibrium extracellular matrix dynamics in the acellular scaffold should be established and successful integration between acellular scaffold and auto-dura could not guarantee tissue regeneration. In addition, there was a close relationship between the in vitro characteristics and the in vivo performance of the acellular scaffold. The in vitro characteristics had big influence on the restoration of extracellular matrix dynamics. Acellular scaffold could actively take part in the extracellular matrix dynamics and remodeling itself subsequently. Therefore, acellular scaffold showed great advantages to other scaffold materials for tissue regeneration.