Tissue-engineered intestine: Progress toward a functional and physiological neomucosa

Abstract

The science of tissue engineering has emerged as a field of great importance, combining the principles of biology and engineering with the goal of developing biological substitutes for human tissues and organs. Using tissue-engineering techniques, a prototype neointestine has been developed. In this article, we summarize the progress toward the generation of a functional and physiological neomucosa that regenerates the characteristic properties of the native bowel.