Abstract
Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine involve many different artificial and biologic materials, frequently integrated in composite scaffolds, which can be repopulated with various cell types. One of the most promising scaffolds is decellularized allogeneic extracellular matrix (ECM) then recellularized by autologous or stem cells, in order to develop fully personalized clinical approaches. Decellularization protocols have to efficiently remove immunogenic cellular materials, maintaining the nonimmunogenic ECM, which is endowed with specific inductive/differentiating actions due to its architecture and bioactive factors. In the present paper, we review the available literature about the development of grafts from decellularized human tissues/organs. Human tissues may be obtained not only from surgery but also from cadavers, suggesting possible development of Human Tissue BioBanks from body donation programs. Many human tissues/organs have been decellularized for tissue engineering purposes, such as cartilage, bone, skeletal muscle, tendons, adipose tissue, heart, vessels, lung, dental pulp, intestine, liver, pancreas, kidney, gonads, uterus, childbirth products, cornea, and peripheral nerves. In vitro recellularizations have been reported with various cell types and procedures (seeding, injection, and perfusion). Conversely, studies about in vivo behaviour are poorly represented. Actually, the future challenge will be the development of human grafts to be implanted fully restored in all their structural/functional aspects.
Highlights
IntroductionIn case of tissue injury or disease, tissue autografts are often considered the gold standard but inherent limitations including donor site morbidity, low availability, and unacceptable failure rates highlight the need for alternative strategies [2,3]
In case of tissue injury or disease, tissue autografts are often considered the gold standard but inherent limitations including donor site morbidity, low availability, and unacceptable failure rates highlight the need for alternative strategies [2,3].To date, engineering human tissues is an interdisciplinary and a very attractive field of research [4], but fully reproducing the properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is a great challenge [5,6]
We reviewed literature about tissue engineering approaches involving decellularization of human tissues and organs
Summary
In case of tissue injury or disease, tissue autografts are often considered the gold standard but inherent limitations including donor site morbidity, low availability, and unacceptable failure rates highlight the need for alternative strategies [2,3]. To date, engineering human tissues is an interdisciplinary and a very attractive field of research [4], but fully reproducing the properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is a great challenge [5,6]. Despite technological progress and advances in polymer science, the vast majority of artificial scaffolds do not satisfy the demand for a bioactive support, endowed with cell-instructive and cell-responsive properties [5]. The best scaffold for tissue engineering would be the decellularized ECM of the target tissue. Decellularization allows researchers to obtain cell-free, natural ECMs characterized by an adequate 3D organization and proper molecular composition [7]. Matrices may be beneficial if not belonging to the same anatomical region, as demonstrated, for instance, by Kang and Colleagues [8], who considered decellularized nasal cartilage flakes for vocal fold augmentation
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