Multi-stage bioengineering of a layered oesophagus with in vitro expanded muscle and epithelial adult progenitors

Nat Commun. 2018 Oct 16;9(1):4286. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-06385-w.

Abstract

A tissue engineered oesophagus could overcome limitations associated with oesophageal substitution. Combining decellularized scaffolds with patient-derived cells shows promise for regeneration of tissue defects. In this proof-of-principle study, a two-stage approach for generation of a bio-artificial oesophageal graft addresses some major challenges in organ engineering, namely: (i) development of multi-strata tubular structures, (ii) appropriate re-population/maturation of constructs before transplantation, (iii) cryopreservation of bio-engineered organs and (iv) in vivo pre-vascularization. The graft comprises decellularized rat oesophagus homogeneously re-populated with mesoangioblasts and fibroblasts for the muscle layer. The oesophageal muscle reaches organised maturation after dynamic culture in a bioreactor and functional integration with neural crest stem cells. Grafts are pre-vascularised in vivo in the omentum prior to mucosa reconstitution with expanded epithelial progenitors. Overall, our optimised two-stage approach produces a fully re-populated, structurally organized and pre-vascularized oesophageal substitute, which could become an alternative to current oesophageal substitutes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Culture Techniques
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cryopreservation / methods
  • Epithelial Cells
  • Esophagus / cytology*
  • Esophagus / physiology*
  • Extracellular Matrix / physiology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Muscle, Skeletal / cytology*
  • Neural Crest / transplantation
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Tissue Engineering / methods*
  • Tissue Scaffolds*