Cell Replacement in Human Lung Bioengineering

As the number of patients with end-stage lung disease continues to rise, there is a growing need to increase the limited number of lungs available for transplantation. Unfortunately, attempts at engineering functional lung de novo have been unsuccessful, and artificial mechanical devices have limited utility as a bridge to transplant. This difficulty is largely due to the size and inherent complexity of the lung; however, recent advances in cell-based therapeutics offer a unique opportunity to enhance traditional tissue engineering approaches with targeted site- and cell-specific strategies.
Source: The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation - Category: Transplant Surgery Authors: Tags: Original Pre-Clinical Science Source Type: research