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Organ Fabrication: Progress and Hurdles to Overcome

  • Cellular Transplants (G Orlando and A Asthana, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of review

Although technological advancements in the genetic modification of pigs have renewed the interest in experiments involving the transplantation of whole pig organs into humans, complete human organs have not yet been fabricated. Organ fabrication, which involves the artificial creation of human organs, was explained based on the author’s latest research results. This study aimed to introduce the methods in the artificial creation of human organs that are currently undergoing research after showing the advantages and issues of the following three methods.

Recent findings

The first is a method of transplanting organoids that were created by culturing the remaining organs of a patient on a scaffold in vitro. The second is a method of injecting human progenitor cells into a scaffold of fetal organs from another species (e.g., pig) to make a chimeric organ. The third is a method of using machine perfusion to culture and to repair organs that are incompatible with transplantation.

Summary

Preclinical studies in pigs are advancing for all three methods, and the issues regarding clinical application are being overcome.

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Data and/or Code availability

All relevant data supporting the findings of this study are either included within the article or are available upon request from the corresponding author.

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Acknowledgements

Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., Japan (grant number: none, recipient: E.K.) and SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd., Japan (grant number: none, recipient: E.K.). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of manuscript.

Funding

Sumitomo Pharma Co.,Ltd,SCREEN Holdings Co.,Ltd

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Kidney Regenerative Medicine, Industry-Academia Collaborative Department, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan

    Eiji Kobayashi

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  1. Eiji Kobayashi
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Correspondence to Eiji Kobayashi.

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Conflict of Interest

Eiji Kobayashi is a medical advisor of Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., Japan and SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd., Japan.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

All reported studies/experiments with human or animal subjects performed by the author have been previously published and complied with all applicable ethical standards (including the Helsinki declaration and its amendments, institutional/national research committee standards, and international/national/institutional guidelines).

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Kobayashi, E. Organ Fabrication: Progress and Hurdles to Overcome. Curr Transpl Rep 9, 297–301 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40472-022-00372-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40472-022-00372-3

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