Stem Cells Seeded on Multilayered Scaffolds Implanted into an Injured Bladder Rat Model Improves Bladder Function

Background: To investigate whether human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) seeded on multilayered poly ( l -lactide- co -ɛ-caprolactone) (PLCL) sheets improve bladder function in a rat model of detrusor smooth muscle-removed bladder. Methods: Male rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: Normal, injury (detrusor smooth muscle-removed bladder), PLCL (detrusor smooth muscle-removed bladder implanted with PLCL sheets), and PLCL + ADSC (detrusor smooth muscle-removed bladder implanted with PLCL sheets seeded with hADSCs). Four weeks after the treatment, physiological, histological, immunohistochemical, and immunoblot analyses were performed. Results: hADSCs were compatible with PLCL sheets. Further, the physiological study of PLCL + ADSC group showed significant improvement in compliance and contractility suggesting the functional improvement of the bladder. Histological, immunohistochemical and immunoblot analyses revealed the uniform distribution of hADSCs in between PLCL sheets as well as differentiation of hADSCs into smooth muscle cells (SMC) which is illustrated by the expression of SMC markers. Conclusion: hADSCs seeded on the multilayered PLCL sheets has the potential to differentiate into SMC, thus facilitating the recovery of compliance and contractility of the injured bladder.