Organ Fabrication: Progress and Hurdles to Overcome

摘要

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