Comparing Collagen and Decellularized Extracellular Matrix in Different Fabrication Contexts for Bladder Tissue Engineering

Biomaterials demonstrate significantly different properties based on their fabrication methods, which must be considered for their intended applications. This study compares collagen and decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) as sponge and electrospun scaffolds for bladder tissue engineering. Collagen was extracted from rat tail tendons, while the extracellular matrix was obtained from decellularized rat bladders. Scaffold characterization included various techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), circular dichroism (CD), contact angle measurements, swelling analysis, mechanical testing, and both in vitro and in vivo degradation studies. The biological evaluation incorporated cell attachment assays, viability testing using the MTT assay, quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), histological analysis, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining to assess angiogenesis. In vitro studies showed that dECM-based scaffolds supported superior viability of bladder smooth muscle cells (SMCs) compared to collagen scaffolds. Furthermore, electrospun collagen scaffolds exhibited improved mechanical properties. qRT-PCR analysis revealed increased smooth muscle gene expression in collagen electrospun scaffolds, particularly on day 7, indicating accelerated maturation of SMCs. In vivo assessment demonstrated that dECM scaffolds facilitated enhanced angiogenesis compared to collagen scaffolds in both production forms, as indicated by IHC staining. However, dECM scaffolds had higher degradation rates than their collagen counterparts. Among all groups, collagen electrospun scaffolds exhibited the lowest degradation rate. The findings suggest that while dECM scaffolds enhance angiogenesis and initial cellular support, collagen scaffolds provide superior mechanical stability and controlled degradation kinetics. This makes them particularly suitable for bladder tissue engineering applications that require long-term structural integrity.