Differentiation between cellularized and decellularized mouse kidneys using mean scatterer spacing: A preliminary study

Scattering from the extracellular matrix (ECM) is currently being investigated, using a decellularization technique, which involves removing cells from tissue while preserving the ECM. This work aims to investigate the use of the mean scatterer spacing, using cepstral analysis techniques, for the differentiation between cellularized and decellularized mouse kidneys. After decellularization, the mean scatterer spacing decreased, with an average spacing for all the kidneys of 5.97 ± 1.89 μm before decellularization, and 5.38 ± 1.72 μm after decellularization. A significant difference was found between the calculated spacings from the kidneys, before and after decellularization. Future work include the incorporation of other parameters to further improve the sensitivity of this technique.