Regenerative medicine, organ bioengineering and transplantation

Abstract

Background Organ transplantation is predicted to increase as life expectancy and the incidence of chronic diseases rises. Regenerative medicine‐inspired technologies challenge the efficacy of the current allograft transplantation model. Methods A literature review was conducted using the PubMed interface of MEDLINE from the National Library of Medicine. Results were examined for relevance to innovations of organ bioengineering to inform analysis of advances in regenerative medicine affecting organ transplantation. Data reports from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipient and Organ Procurement Transplantation Network from 2008 to 2019 of kidney, pancreas, liver, heart, lung and intestine transplants performed, and patients currently on waiting lists for respective organs, were reviewed to demonstrate the shortage and need for transplantable organs. Results Regenerative medicine technologies aim to repair and regenerate poorly functioning organs. One goal is to achieve an immunosuppression‐free state to improve quality of life, reduce complications and toxicities, and eliminate the cost of lifelong antirejection therapy. Innovative strategies include decellularization to fabricate acellular scaffolds that will be used as a template for organ manufacturing, three‐dimensional printing and interspecies blastocyst complementation. Induced pluripotent stem cells are an innovation in stem cell technology which mitigate both the ethical concerns associated with embryonic stem cells and the limitation of other progenitor cells, which lack pluripotency. Regenerative medicine technologies hold promise in a wide array of fields and applications, such as promoting regeneration of native cell lines, growth of new tissue or organs, modelling of disease states, and augmenting the viability of existing ex vivo transplanted organs. Conclusion The future of organ bioengineering relies on furthering understanding of organogenesis, in vivo regeneration, regenerative immunology and long‐term monitoring of implanted bioengineered organs.

Bioengineering of the digestive tract: approaching the clinic

“…The successful implantation of a fully bioengineered whole organ, such as the esophagus or small bowel, represents the Holy Grail in modern transplant medicine [1] and clinical conditions characterized by end-stage organ failure not amenable to therapies other than the replacement of the diseased organ in question. The seeding of cells within artificial or ECM scaffolds [70,89À91], 3D bioprinting [92] and interspecies blastocyst complementation [93,94] are the most promising technologies in the field of whole-organ bioengineering. Although the latter two have not yet reached the bedside, cell-on-scaffold seeding technology [95] has already been translated into the clinic.…”

The Application of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Wound Repair and Regeneration

“…It is important to consider that a particular design of a scaffold is appropriate for each specific type of wound. [53], [54]…”

Chitosan-Hydrogel Polymeric Scaffold Acts as an Independent Primary Inducer of Osteogenic Differentiation in Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

“…Regenerative medicine, as well as bio-engineering, aims to repair or replace poorly functioning tissues or organs and holds promise in a wide range of fields and applications [1,2]. The key players of present regenerative medicine approaches are human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) and three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds [3], combined together.…”

“…One of the most investigated osteogenesis-related genes is osteopontin (OPN), together with alkaline phosphatase, RUNX2, and osteocalcin (OCN). OPN, also known as SPP1 (secreted phosphoprotein [1], is a secreted and chemokine-like glyco-phosphoprotein involved in the early phases of osteoblast differentiation and in other physiological and pathological processes, such as ECM mineralization, bone resorption, and bone tumor progression [24][25][26]. During osteoblast differentiation, several functional phases can be identified: proliferation, production, and maturation and mineralization of ECM [27].…”