Effect of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Chicken Embryo Extract on Flap Viability and Mast Cells in Rat Skin Flaps

We investigated the effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) and chicken embryo extract (CEE), alone and in combination, on tissue viability of skin flaps, and mast cells (MCs), in an experimental random skin flap (RSF) rat model. Materials and Methods: A 30 mm×80 mm RSF was made on the dorsum of each of the forty rats, which were then divided in to four groups. One group did not receive any treatment and served as the control, the second group received BMMSCs, the third group received CEE+BMMSCs, and the fourth group received CEE. For BMMSC treatment, 6×109 BMMSCs were injected into twelve separate injection sites of each flap. Seven days after RSF surgery, the remaining viable part of each flap was measured and examined to determine the number of blood vessels, MCs, and degranulated MCs. Results: The CEE, CEE+BMMSC, and BMMSC groups displayed significantly higher levels of flap viability (ANOVA test: p=0.000; LSD test for all groups: p=0.000), and a greater number of vessels (ANOVA test: p=0.000; LSD test: p=0.000, 0.002, and 0.012, respectively), compared with the control group. The flap viability was poorer in the BMMSC group than in the CEE and CEE+BMMSC groups. The BMMSC group also had a greater number of degranulated and total MCs, compared with the CEE and CEE+BMMSC groups. Conclusions: We observed bio stimulatory effects of BMMSCs, CEE, and CEE + BMMSCs on flap viability and vessel numbers, compared to the control group. MCs produced in response to BMMSC treatment have an inhibitory effect on the RSFs survival in an ischemic tissue model.

Keywords:

Ischemia-reperfusion injury , random skin flap , mast cell , bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell , chicken embryo extract , flap viability , histology , rat