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Minimally Invasive Embryo Transfer and Embryo Vitrification at the Optimal Embryo Stage in Rabbit Model
Published on: May 16, 2019
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A tissue-engineered uterus supports live births in rabbits
Renata S Magalhaes1, J Koudy Williams1, Kyung W Yoo1
1Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Nature Biotechnology
|July 1, 2020
Summary
Bioengineered uterine tissue using autologous cells restored rabbit uterus structure and function. This regenerative medicine approach enabled normal pregnancies and live births, offering hope for uterine factor infertility.
Area of Science:
- Regenerative Medicine
- Tissue Engineering
- Reproductive Biology
Background:
- Uterine factor infertility affects many women.
- Current treatments often involve complex procedures or donor tissues.
- Previous uterine reconstruction models primarily used xenogeneic grafts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate bioengineered uterine tissue as a treatment for uterine factor infertility.
- To assess the restoration of uterine structure and function using autologous cell-seeded scaffolds.
- To determine the feasibility of achieving normal pregnancies with engineered uterine constructs.
Main Methods:
- Subtotal uterine excision was performed in rabbits.
- Reconstruction utilized biodegradable polymer scaffolds seeded with autologous cells.
- Control groups included non-seeded scaffolds and simple suturing.
Main Results:
- Cell-seeded engineered uteri regenerated native tissue-like structures, including epithelium, stroma, and a two-layered myometrium, by 6 months.
- Vascularized mucosa formation was observed in engineered tissues.
- Four out of ten rabbits with cell-seeded constructs achieved normal pregnancies, supporting fetal development to term and live birth.
Conclusions:
- Autologous cell-seeded biodegradable scaffolds can restore uterine structure and function.
- This bioengineering approach successfully facilitated normal pregnancies and live births in a rabbit model.
- This regenerative medicine strategy shows promise for treating uterine factor infertility.
