04 June 2024 : Review article
Alternative Therapies in Transplantology as a Promising Perspective in Medicine
Natasza Michalska1E, Ewa Totoń
1E, Przemysław Kopczyński 2E, Magdalena Jankowska-Wajda 3E, Błażej Rubiś 1A*
DOI: 10.12659/AOT.943387
Ann Transplant 2024; 29:e943387
Table 1 Potential of alternative transplantology technologies.
| 3D bioprinting [25,26] | Nanotechnology in transplantology [27] | Cells encapsulation [28] | Organoids [29] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied technique | Bioprinting is a technology where bioinks and biomaterials, mixed with cells, are 3D printed to construct living tissue models. Construction of many tissues/organs (skin, blood vessel, adipose tissue, bone/cartilage, heart, liver, kidney, muscle, and nerve) | Nanotechnology in stem-cell-based therapy is applied in neurodegenerative disease, anti-tumor, and gene delivery | Cell encapsulation technology involves immobilization of cells within a polymeric semi-permeable membrane. Therapeutic applications (diabetes, cancer, liver and pancreatic disease, heart diseases, monoclonal antibody therapy) | Organoids are self-organized three-dimensional tissue cultures that are derived from stem cells. Ideal model for preclinical drug toxicity evaluation. Application in regenerative medicine (repair damaged tissues and organs) |
| Resolution | 30–200 μm | 1–100 nm | Capsule permeability <1 μm | >500 μm |
| Materials used | Hydrogels, decellularized matrix components, tissue spheroids and strands, cell pellet, and nanocomposites | Non-toxic and biodegradable nanomaterials such collagen nanofiber, carbon nanofiber, graphene, Quantum dots, gelatin-hydroxyapatite, gold nanoparticles, liposomes. | Microcapsules made of polimer (alginate), cellulose sulphate, collagen, chitosan, gelatin, and agarose | Stem cells are seeded on matrices of biological origin (matrigel, hydrogels) |
| Cell viability | >90% | No data available. | <50% | 80–90% |
| Cost/ease of operation | Low/medium | High/medium | Mediumlow | Low/medium |
| Implemantation potential/applicable | High | Medium | High | Medium |
| Selected disadvantages | Functionalization is the core factor of 3D bioprinting. Bioinks need to possess good biocompatibility and mechanical property | High concentrations of reagents may cause artifacts.Barriers to clinical implementation of nanoparticles | Inflammatory response, and consequently, to rejection of the transplant | Heterogeneity of cultured organoids.Potential tumorigenicity of using matrix gel in organoid culture.Organoid cultivation is time- and labor-intensive |
| Future perspective | Future bioprinters could be made clinician-friendly, easy to use and maintain, and customized for specific types of tissues | Personalized immunosuppressive regimens to avoid graft rejection.Cell-specific drug targeting in therapy diseases | Cell encapsulation could the former allows a sustained and controlled delivery of therapeutic molecules that prevent immune response while permitting easy in vivo transplantation | Good preclinical model for human disease research and drug development – personalized medicine |