Is Tissue Regeneration Possible?

Is regeneration possible? Scientists have been studying this phenomenon for decades, using the salamander tail as a model for regenerating amputated limbs. At the Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Group, we believe that we are on the forefront of cutting edge technologies, and regeneration is becoming a possibility in the near future.

ACell, Inc. – a company that offers the next generation of regenerative medicine through the development and commercialization of unique extracellular matrix (ECM) products to repair and remodel damaged tissues in a broad range of applications – could be the next wave of the future.

Imagine a world where traumatic injuries are simply treated with a powder-like substance that becomes a signal for regenerating new tissue, including new fingertips, portions of noses and ears, even new skin! This “magical” powder, also known as Urinary Bladder Matrix (UBM) is actually made from pig bladder. Porcine bladder is harvested and processed to remove the muscle and submucosa tissue layers. The UBM is disinfected, packaged, and sterilized. The resulting product is a non-crosslinked, completely resorbable, acellular extracellular matrix scaffold, rich with naturally-occurring collagens and proteins and maintains an intact epithelial basement membrane surface.

UBM appears to fundamentally change the healing response by providing signals to the host immune system that stimulate an adaptive or accommodative response, conducive for wound healing and three-dimensional growth of various cell types.

UBM has been shown to:

• Recruit stem cells
• Recruit cells that stimulate healing
• Remodel certain specialized tissues (bone, cartilage, nails, skin) where scarring would normally be expected
• Have antimicrobial activity

Here at the Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Group, we continue to look at new technologies, and try to incorporate them into our practice after detailed studies have been conducted. In the event of an accident or injury leaving you with a wound, please call us at (310) 275-6600 to see if you are a candidate for specialized wound care.