Tissue-engineered stomach: a preliminary report of a versatile in vivo model with therapeutic potential

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Microgastria and postgastrectomy morbidities are substantial. The authors hypothesized a functional living tissue-engineered stomach could function as a replacement alternative. Methods: Stomach organoid units, mesenchymal cores surrounded by epithelia, were isolated from neonatal and adult rats and transplanted paratopically on biodegradable polymer tubes, which were implanted in syngeneic hosts, varying the inclusion of stomach regions. Four weeks later, tissue-engineered stomach (TES) was either harvested or anastomosed. GFP labeling was performed before implantation. Histology and immunohistochemical detection of the antigensgastrin and actin smooth muscle were performed. Results: Ninety-eight percent of all animals generated TES, including TES formation from adult tissue. Immunohistochemistry for α-actin smooth muscle and gastrin confirms the presence of a smooth muscle layer and a well-developed gastric epithelium containing all the elements of the native rat stomach including gastric pits and squamous layers, varying by included regions at harvest. TES architecture was maintained in anastomosis: GFP-labeled TES maintained signal in anastomosis, proving the donor origin of the TES. Conclusions: TES resembles native stomach and maintains robust histology in anastomosis, a new versatile model for the study of gastric physiology and possible therapy.