Whole Organ Tissue Culture

Overview

Whole organs can be cultured ex vivo using specialized bioreactors with the goal of repairing or replacing entire organs. This method uses a donor organ that is stripped of all cells, leaving behind the three-dimensional structure, which is then repopulated with new cells. This video demonstrates the whole organ culture of lungs and shows how a dynamic culture that mimics the mechanical stimulation in the body is needed to induce native tissue properties.

Procedure

In vitro cultures of partial or whole organs are often used in order to accurately model tissue and organ function in various test conditions. Whole organ culture can involve the decellularization of an excised organ or removal of cells in order to utilize the native organ structure. This is followed by the recellularization with new cells. The use of specialized bioreactors are often incorporated into the recellularization process to mimic tissue growth in the body. This