BIOENGINEERING CHITOSAN-BASED TUBULAR NEURO-MUSCULAR GASTROINTESTINAL TISSUE

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a hollow muscular tubular organ that extends from the mouth down to the rectum. Different high pressure zones exist along the tract and are referred to as sphincters. Sphincters maintain a closure tone and relax upon receiving the appropriate signal to allow movement of food. The GI tract performs 2 main functions: (1) peristalsis; a coordinated rhythmic contraction and relaxation that ensures propulsion of the ingested food along the tract and (2) absorption of nutrients through the epithelium of the tract. The GI tract is a highly complex organ system with multiple cells layers organized in a structured architecture. Peristalsis is dictated by 2 smooth muscle layers; the outer longitudinal and inner circular muscle layer along with their innervation provided by the enteric nervous system. Absorption of nutrients is performed by highly specialized epithelial cells around the lumen of the tract. Several diseases affect the tract including cancer, gastroparesis, short bowel syndrome and Hirschsprung’s disease. Other diseases of the gut involve segments along with their adjacent sphincters. The most common treatment in all these conditions requires surgical resections of the diseased segment which results in motility disorders and malnutrition in patients. We hypothesized that a tissue engineered tubular neuro-muscular gut can be used to lengthen the gut and restore its function. Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine aims to restore, repair or regenerate tissues and organs using a cell/scaffold/bioactive mechanism.

Grantor dc:publisher

Wake Forest University

Year dc:date.issued

2016

Author dc:creator

• Zakhem, Elie

• biocompatibility

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/62643

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:wakespace.lib.wfu.edu:10339/62643