Tissue Engineering Small Intestinal Tubes Using
Simulated Microgravity
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| Small bowel transplants are
largely unsuccessful due to high incidence of rejection, graft v. host
disease, and infection. Transplantation
can often be avoided by administering total parenteral nutrition (TPN)
therapy. While this therapy
is a life saving practice for some patients with intestinal failure, for
others, TPN related complications arise after extended use of the therapy.
For those patients with permanent intestinal failure that can no
longer be treated with TPN therapy, no alternatives to transplant exist. |
| A major problem associated
with small intestinal transplants is the lack of donor tissue.
Therefore, it is essential that a technique be developed that
allows for a minimal number of autologous or donor cells to be grown into
small intestinal tissue, which mimics the functions of native tissue.
The development of a method for culturing these cells in a
simulated microgravity environment has the potential to produce these
tissues. |
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The simulated microgravity cell culture system
was developed at the Johnson Space Center.
This technology allows for in vitro culture in a low shear,
low turbulence microgravity environment which promotes 3-dimensional
growth. It has been shown to
alter cellular kinetics, thereby increasing overall cell size.
Therefore, a minimal amount of cells may be enlarged and engineered
into small intestinal tissue. This
will be attempted by designing and culturing cells within a tubular
construct that will be incorporated into the microgravity culture chamber. |
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