【Animal Modeling】-Scientists successfully transplanted bioengineered lungs into pigs

  Researcher Joanichols and his colleagues were the first to develop human bioengineered lungs in the laboratory. In this study, the researchers detailed the details and progress of the study in 2014 and standardized pigs. The preclinical study found that the pigs had no complications. Researcher Cortiera said that although more and more patients around the world suffer from severe lung diseases, the number of transplantable organs is very limited. The ultimate goal of our research is to wait for the hope of providing treatment for many patients. .. In order to be able to develop a bioengineered lung, researchers first need a support bracket that can meet the structural requirements of the lung.

  For this reason, the researchers used the lungs of unrelated animals to create this support bracket. The mixture of sugar and detergent removes lung cells and blood, leaving a special scaffold protein or lung bone scaffold, and finally forms a lung-like scaffold entirely supported by lung protein. The cells used to produce each bioengineered lung type come from Individual lung tissue of each animal under study. These cell sources can be used to produce bioengineered lungs that match the tissues required by each animal in the study. The bracket is placed in a water tank, which is supplemented with a mixture of special nutrients and the animal's own cells. Before transplantation, the bioengineered lung will grow in the bioreactor for 30 days. After transplantation, animal subjects can survive for 10 hours, 2 weeks, 1 month, or 2 months. This helps to detect the development of bioengineered lung tissue after transplantation and bioengineered lung tissue-body interaction. Combine. Researchers have found that all adult pigs that receive artificial lungs can stay healthy. Two weeks after transplantation, this oxygenator can build a strong blood vessel network for the growth and development of lung tissue. Researcher Nichols said that the transplanted adult pigs showed no signs of pulmonary edema. Pulmonary edema is usually a sign of immature vasculature. This bioengineered lung can continue to grow after transplantation. When growth factor perfusion occurs, the body needs new lung tissue. We can also provide growth modules.

  The researchers analyzed how the bioengineered lungs adapt to the human body and continue to mature in the body, but the researchers donated the bioengineered lungs to the transplanted animals. I did not assess how much oxygen I can get. researcher

  Cortiera said that everyone knows that due to normal lung function, an animal’s oxygen saturation is 100%. Two months later, this bioengineered lung was not mature enough to stop animals. The body cannot stop using normal lungs to breathe, nor can it encourage animals to switch to artificial lungs to perform their functions. Based on this consideration, future researchers will conduct more detailed studies to observe the long-term viability, tissue maturity and gas exchange capacity of this bioengineered lung. Researchers believe that as long as there are sufficient funds, this bioengineered lung can be transplanted into humans and tested within 5-10 years.