Diabetes mellitus and pancreatitis are common pancreatic diseases in dogs, affecting the endocrine and exocrine portions of the organ. Dogs have a significant role in the history of research related to genetic diseases, being considered potential models for the study of human diseases. This review discusses the importance of using the extracellular matrix of the canine pancreas as a model for the study of diabetes mellitus and pancreatitis, in addition to focusing on the importance of using extracellular matrix in new regenerative techniques, such as decellularization and recellularization. Unlike humans, rabbits, mice, and pigs, there are no reports in the literature characterizing the healthy pancreatic extracellular matrix in dogs, in addition to the absence of studies related to matrix components that are involved in triggering diabetes melittus and pancreatitis. The extracellular matrix plays the role of physical support for the cells and allows the regulation of various cellular processes. In this context, it has already been demonstrated that physiologic and pathologic pancreatic changes lead to ECM remodeling, highlighting the importance of an in-depth study of the changes associated with pancreatic diseases.
Keywords: ECM remodelling; decellularization; endocrine and exocrine diseases; pancreas; scaffolds; tissue bioengineering.