Developing a clinical grade human adipose decellularized biomaterial.

Several human studies show positive signals, while research methods and sample sizes continue to develop.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

While tissue engineering investigators have appreciated adipose tissue as a repository of stromal/stem cells, they are only now beginning to see its value as a decellularized tissue resource. Independent academic investigators have successfully extracted lipid, genomic DNA and proteins from human fat to create a decellularized extracellular matrix enriched in collagen, glycoproteins, and proteoglycans. Pre-clinical studies have validated its compatibility with stromal/stem cells and its ability to support adipogenesis in vitro and in vivo in both small (murine) and large (porcine) subcutaneous implant models. Furthermore, Phase I safety clinical trials have injected decellularized human adipose tissue scaffolds in human volunteers without incident for periods of up to 127 days. This commentary takes an opinionated look at the under-appreciated but potential benefits of obesity as an increasingly available biomaterial resource.

Evidence level

Several human studies show positive signals, while research methods and sample sizes continue to develop.

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