Automated Assessment of Cell Infiltration and Removal in Decellularized Scaffolds - Experimental Study in Rabbits

Semiquantitative and automated measurement of nuclear material removal and cell infiltration in decellularized tendon scaffolds (DTSs). 16 pure New Zealand rabbits were used, and the gastrocnemius muscle tendon was collected bilaterally from half of these animals (16 tendons collected); 4 were kept as control and 12 were submitted to the decellularization protocol (DTS). Eight of the DTSs were used as an in vivo implant in the experimental rotator cuff tear (RCT) model, and the rest, as well as the controls, were used in the semiquantitative and automated evaluation of nuclear material removal. The eight additional rabbits were used to make the experimental model of RCT and subsequent evaluation of cellular infiltration after 2 or 8 weeks, within the DTS. The semiquantitative and automated analysis used demonstrated a removal of 79% of nuclear material ( 99%) and a decrease of 88% (p 99%) in the area occupied by nuclear material after the decellularization protocol. On cell infiltration in DTS, an increase of 256% (p 99%) in the number of cells within the DTS was observed in the comparison between 2 and 8 weeks postoperatively. The proposed semiquantitative and automated measurement method was able to objectively measure the removal of nuclear material and cell infiltration in DTS.