For the first time in Russia, a bioengineered ureter has been transplanted into a pig
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- For the first time in Russia, a bioengineered ureter has been transplanted into a pig
Scientists at the Institute of Regenerative Medicine of Sechenov University have created a special supporting membrane based on collagen that repeats the shape of the ureter.
The developed membrane temporarily takes over the functions of the damaged part of the organ and also plays the role of a substrate on which bioinks are applied. They contain spheroids - "spheroids" made of the patient's own cells. They release a cocktail of anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory factors and biologically active substances, stimulating the regeneration of the ureter. As the collagen membrane resorbs, it is replaced by new, healthy tissue.
The researchers implanted the bioequivalent in a pig with chronic ureteral damage. The implant successfully took root and triggered tissue regeneration. Researchers are now monitoring the animal to determine how long it will take to fully recover.
"We are working on platform technology that will allow us to regenerate squamous epithelial tissues - skin, mucous membranes. The bioequivalent of the tympanic membrane is already ready for introduction into clinical practice, and the bioequivalent of the ureter is being tested on animals, and we see encouraging results," Peter Timashev, head of the project and scientific director of the NTPB of Sechenov University, told Izvestia.
Clinical trials of the bioequivalent of the urinary tract are scheduled for 2026. After them, restoration of the ureter using tissue-engineering technologies will be available to patients of the Clinical Center of Sechenov University.
Read more in the exclusive material "Izvestia":
Out to drain: scientists transplanted an artificial ureter to a pig for the first time
