Decellularization Agents on Porosity and Pore Size in Bovine Pericardium Scaffolds for Pediatric Heart Surgery

Mario Hendri RW^1*, Heroe Soebroto ¹, Ito Puruhito ¹

This study showed optimal decellularization methods for enhancing porosity and pore size in bovine pericardium scaffolds, crucial for pediatric heart surgery.

Abstract

Background: Tissue engineering in pediatric and congenital heart surgery relies on developing biomaterials with extracellular matrix (ECM)-like properties. The acellular bovine pericardium membrane (BPM) is a promising scaffold due to its strength, low infection rates, and cost-effectiveness. Decellularization is essential to optimize BPM's properties for tissue regeneration. This study investigates the effects of different decellularization methods on BPM's porosity and pore size. Methods: A true experimental design was used to evaluate BPM scaffolds treated with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), or ASB-16, compared to a control group. Porosity and pore size were measured using image analysis software after 4 weeks of incubation. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U test, and one-way ANOVA. Results: ASB-16 decellularization significantly increased BPM porosity (50.14 ± 3.71%) compared to the control (3.06 ± 0.99%) and other treatments (SDS: 6.23 ± 2.94%, H2O2: 4.47 ± 1.34%). Pore size was also significantly larger in the ASB-16 group (26.9 ± 5.93 µm) compared to SDS (8.99 ± 2.77 µm), H2O2 (3.13 ± 1.00 µm), and control (2.00 ± 0.29 µm). Conclusion: ASB-16 decellularization effectively enhances BPM porosity and pore size, making it a promising method for optimizing scaffolds in tissue engineering applications. Further research should focus on its impact on cell proliferation and tissue regeneration.

Keywords: Bovine pericardium membrane, Decellularization, Porosity, Pore size, Tissue engineering

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