Principles of Tissue Engineering (3rd edition) is a book edited by Dr. Robert Lanza, Dr. Robert Langer, and Dr. Joseph Vacanti. This post has notes from the book featuring the results of some of the studies cited in the book.
• A study that involved implanting vascular grafts utilizing autologous bone marrow cells seeded onto biodegradable synthetic conduits into pediatric patients with congenital heart defects demonstrated no adverse events nearly three years after the surgery.
• Seven pediatric patients who received grafts comprising autologous urothelium and smooth muscle cells seeded onto a biodegradable collagen or collagen-PLGA composite scaffold were followed up an average of nearly four years after the surgery and showed evidence of safety.
• Experiments found that implanting composites based on engineered cartilage into defects in adult rabbit knees exhibited physiologic thickness and Young’s modulus.
• A PEG hydrogel matrix that delivered rhBMP-2 into critical sized defects in rat crania supported bone regeneration within five weeks.
• Cultures of neural progenitor cells isolated from human embryonic stem cells and then grafted into the striatum of parkinsonian rats partially corrected behavioral deficits.
• The use of expanded bone marrow stromal cells in conjunction with hydroxyapatite/tricalcium phosphate ceramic particles has been successful in healing segmental bone defects in patients.
• Patients receiving an autologous bone marrow transplant in conjunction with cardiac bypass surgery, as well as those receiving AC133+ endothelial precursor cells alone, have increased cardiac perfusion and enhanced ventricular function.
• Stem cells in the limbus of the sclera and conjunctiva expanded in culture on fibrin substrates to generate sheets of epithelial cells are able to reconstitute a damaged corneal surface.
• Research shows that PEGylated liposomes can penetrate directly into tumor cells and provide cytoplasmic and nuclear delivery of an encapsulated anticancer drug.
• An experiment showed that transplantation of cell sheets based on adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells improved contractile function in rats with coronary artery ligation.
• Studies demonstrated that tissue constructs from neonatal rat heart cells were able to support contractile function of infarcted hearts in immunosupressed rats.
• EPCs isolated from bone marrow and transfected to express telomerase reverse transcriptase increase neovascularization in animals with limb ischemia.
• TEVGs have been implanted in at least 42 pediatric patients with congenital heart defects and these grafts have been resistant to aneurysmal dilation.
• A tissue-engineered heart valve made of a decellularized cryo-preserved pulmonary homograft seeded with autologous vascular endothelial cells isolated from a segment of forearm vein was successfully used in a 43-year-old patient to reconstruct the right ventricular outflow tract.
• Research shows that insulin-producing cells correct hyperglycemia when transplanted into diabetic animals.
• Transplantation of unencapsulated cells from a human cell line into diabetic severe combined immunodeficiency mice was able to restore control of blood glucose levels.
• Several case studies have shown long-term remission from Crohn’s disease following autologous or allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
• Porcine-derived SIS and urinary bladder submucosa have been used to repair the esophagus in dogs.
• Gastric organoid units seeded onto PGA/PLLA tubes implanted into the omentum created a tissue-engineered stomach in rodents.
• Experiments show that injection of mesenchymal stem cells into rodent models of ischemia reduce the severity of renal failure.
• Clinical trials demonstrated that renal cell therapy reduced the 28-day mortality rate from 61% in the conventional CVVH group to 33% in the RAD treatment group.
• A clinical trial showed that muscle-derived stem cells successfully treat stress urinary incontinence.
• The use of centrifugation methods to inject concentrated bone marrow cells in tibial nonunions led to successful union in 88% of patients.
• A clinical trial that used demineralized bone matrix that was enriched demonstrated spinal fusion in 20 out of 21 patients.
• Experiments demonstrated that using PRP in a bony defect in diabetic rats promoted fracture healing.
• Research in sheep showed that autograft and hydroxyapatite plus rhOP-1 led to increased torsional strength and stiffness of healing tibiae.
• A controlled multicenter study showed that autologous disc cell transplantation plus discectomy led to a reduction of low-back pain, compared to discectomy alone.
• Studies in rabbits found that intradiscal administration of rhOP-1 resulted in increased disc height and proteoglycan content.
• Research groups are developing bACLs that include living cells to obtain tissues sharing properties with natural ACL.
• AMCs have healed critical-sized calvarial defects in mice.
• Autologous mesenchymal stem cell implantation is being studied in clinical trials for stroke.
• Animal experiments show that neural tissues and stem cells can remyelinate areas of demyelination.
• Cell replacement strategies have led to mild improvements in patients with Huntington’s disease.
• Experiments demonstrated that retinal progenitor cells enhanced light responsiveness when grafted into the degenerating retina of dystrophic mice.
• Gene delivery of BMP-7 in a collagen matrix promoted regeneration of extraction socket bone defects around dental implants.
