Small intestinal submucosa segments as matrix for tissue engineering: review.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Tissue engineering (TE) aims to restore tissue function using cells, scaffolds, and biochemical factors.
• Ideal scaffolds mimic the native extracellular environment, supporting cell growth and tissue remodeling.
• Small intestinal submucosa (SIS) is a well-established biomaterial for TE due to its supportive properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the properties and applications of SIS in TE.
• To address the challenge of nutrient supply in larger engineered tissues.
• To introduce biological vascularized matrix (BioVaM) as a potential solution.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on SIS and its applications.
• Discussion of the limitations of current TE scaffolds regarding vascularization.
• Introduction of BioVaM, a decellularized matrix incorporating vascular structures.

Main Results:

• SIS exhibits favorable characteristics for tissue regeneration.
• Insufficient nutrient and oxygen supply limits the size of engineered tissues.
• BioVaM preserves a perfusable vessel bed after decellularization, potentially enabling nutrient transport.

Conclusions:

• SIS is a versatile scaffold material for various TE applications.
• BioVaM presents a novel approach to overcome vascularization challenges in TE.
• Further research into BioVaM could advance the development of larger, functional tissue constructs.