The latest study "Comparison of different decellularization protocols for porcine centrum tendineum diaphragmatis and diaphragmatic muscle - a base for effective recellularization" published by B.F. Gaag, P. Tang, O. Klein, S. Moosburner, A.K. Böhm, T. Lohmann, J.K. Wieland, V. Contes, Y. Zhou, E. Keshi, L. Haderer, E. Metzler, V. Schöwel-Wolf, S. Spuler, J.C. Rückert, J. Pratschke, I.M. Sauer, M.N. Andreas, and K.H. Hillebrandt evaluated decellularization strategies for porcine diaphragm tissue to support the development of biocompatible scaffolds for diaphragmatic repair. Diaphragmatic dysfunction often requires reconstruction, but current materials have limitations such as poor biocompatibility and immune reactions. Decellularization aims to remove cells while preserving the extracellular matrix (ECM), enabling tissue engineering approaches.
Three protocols were compared:
P1: Detergent-enzymatic treatment adapted from murine diaphragm.
P2: A protocol designed for larger mammalian (human) diaphragm tissue.
P3: A protocol developed for porcine tendinous diaphragm.
All protocols significantly reduced DNA content, indicating effective removal of cellular material. Proteomic analysis identified 4,640 conserved proteins, including matrisomal proteins important for ECM structure. About 55% of the matrisomal fraction was consistently preserved across protocols. P3 preserved the most proteins, followed by P2 and P1; however, P3 did not fully meet current decellularization standards.
Overall, P1 and P2 provided effective ECM preservation while removing cellular components, with no clear superiority between them. The findings support further development of decellularized porcine diaphragm scaffolds for potential clinical application in diaphragm repair.
The paper was published in the January issue of the Journal of Biological Engineering.