Adipose tissue-derived components

Adipose tissue transplantation has become an essential treatment modality for tissue augmentation, and for regenerative purposes such as in scarring and wound healing. The therapeutic effects can be ascribed to the tissue stromal vascular fraction (tSVF) consisting of adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (ASCs), their secretome, and the extracellular matrix (ECM), that have immune-modulating, pro-angiogenic and anti-fibrotic properties. Yet, the use of tSVF has not been studied thoroughly for regenerative purposes, and study quality is often impeded. Moreover, obtaining and using adipose-derived products face patient-related, financial, and legal challenges that warrant new treatment modalities.Therefore, this thesis discusses the regenerative effects of the components of adipose tissue and explores the possibilities of a therapeutically functional scaffold of these components. The purpose of this was to treat dermal damage and augment fat graft retention, while enhancing understanding of their effect in tissue. A clinical trial was designed to objectify the changes as a result of tSVF-enriched fat grafting for adherent scars. A systematic literature review regarding the effect of supplementation strategies on graft retention resulted in list of requirements for effective research in this area. Rodent studies and a systematic review were conducted to investigate the currently used decellularization procedures to obtain ECM hydrogel scaffolds, and to test their feasibility to treat dermal damage. The findings of this thesis provide substantial direction for future translational research and may accelerate the development and adoption of adipose tissue derived scaffolds and ultimately improve patient’s quality of life.

Dissertation: https://hdl.handle.net/11370/b506514e-40fb-4daf-a89c-3fa35d07c3b9