Commercially available acellular matrices for adipose-derived stem cell-based tissue engineering: a comparative analysis of morphology and early cytocompatibility

Abstract Background Acellular matrices are frequently used in regenerative medicine due to their structural and biochemical similarity to the native extracellular matrix. However, comparative data on their morphological characteristics and early interaction with human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), particularly in the context of cartilage tissue engineering, remain limited. This study aimed to compare the architectural characteristics of eight commercially available acellular matrices to assess their early interaction with adipose-derived stem cells under standardized in vitro conditions. Methods Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze apparent two-dimensional pore size, porosity, and surface morphology. Adipose-derived stem cells from the adipose tissue of four female donors were isolated, pooled and characterized for typical stem cell markers (CD13, CD29, CD44, CD73, CD90, CD105) by flow cytometry. 1.25 × 10 5 cells were seeded onto biological triplicates of each matrix, and cell viability was assessed via Alamar Blue assay after 7 days of culture. Results Several matrices with porosity values of 40–60% and pore sizes between 50 and 150 µm showed comparatively high metabolic activity during the tested day-7 culture period. These findings highlight the importance of matrix composition and architecture in governing early ASC–matrix interactions. Conclusion Despite structural and or biochemical similarities, considerable differences in early ASC metabolic activity were observed across matrices, indicating that additional parameters such as pore uniformity, interconnectivity, and surface properties act in concert with biochemical composition to influence cellular responses in a complex manner. This study represents a preliminary screening focused on morphological characteristics and early ASC–matrix interactions. These findings provide a foundation for further investigations into long-term survival, proliferation, differentiation, matrix remodeling, and biomechanical performance. By focusing on commercially available matrices, this work offers practical relevance and contributes to more informed early-stage scaffold selection for regenerative medicine applications.