Biosynthetic Tissue Scaffold Recruits Progenitor Cells in Muscle Tissue Healing Model

Bioabsorbable mesh, both biological and biosynthetic, are widely used in hernia repair surgeries for their ability to provide tissue reinforcement and to be later absorbed and replaced by native tissue. The clinical success of bioabsorbable mesh depends largely on their ability to facilitate the regeneration of high quality tissue. The open porosity of a bioabsorbable mesh device has shown to be an important attribute in facilitating tissue generation and healing via cell movement into the device structure. Many types of cells are recruited to the site of surgical injury to facilitate tissue generation and healing. The recruitment of muscle satellite/ progenitor cells (Pax7+) to healing sites has recently been proposed as a critical event in muscle tissue regeneration because of their capability to migrate, proliferate and differentiate into muscle cells.1,2

This study demonstrates that the open, porous structure of the GORE^® BIO-A^® Tissue Reinforcement is able to recruit the Pax7+ cells residing in host muscle, a critical step in muscle regeneration.