Tissue biopsy is the most common form of cell harvest necessary to obtain cells for expansion in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
Researchers at Wake Forest University explored whether cells in human urine possess characteristics necessary for this application.
The two most common tissue types used in urologic reconstruction are urothelial and smooth muscle progenitor cells.
Urine samples were obtained from nine healthy male donors and cells were isolated, expanded and characterized with cell-specific surface markers. After being seeded on collagen-based matrices in vitro, the tissues were implanted subcutaneously into athymic mice. The implanted cells formed multilayered tissue structures in vivo, and maintained their phenotypic and functional cellular characteristics, suggesting that urine may ultimately be a valuable source for cell harvest for urinary tract tissue reconstruction.