Tissue-Engineered Tracheal Reconstruction

Tracheal reconstruction remains a formidable clinical challenge, particularly for long-segment defects that are not amenable to standard surgical resection or primary anastomosis. Tissue engineering has emerged as a promising strategy for restoring the tracheal structure and function through the int...

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Main Authors: Se Hyun Yeou, Yoo Seob Shin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Biomimetics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/7/457
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author Se Hyun Yeou
Yoo Seob Shin
author_facet Se Hyun Yeou
Yoo Seob Shin
author_sort Se Hyun Yeou
collection DOAJ
description Tracheal reconstruction remains a formidable clinical challenge, particularly for long-segment defects that are not amenable to standard surgical resection or primary anastomosis. Tissue engineering has emerged as a promising strategy for restoring the tracheal structure and function through the integration of biomaterials, stem cells, and bioactive molecules. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in tissue-engineered tracheal grafts, particularly in scaffold design, cellular sources, fabrication technologies, and early clinical experience. Innovations in biomaterial science, three-dimensional printing, and scaffold-free fabrication approaches have broadened the prospects for patient-specific airway reconstruction. However, persistent challenges, including incomplete epithelial regeneration and mechanical instability, have hindered its clinical translation. Future efforts should focus on the design of modular biomimetic scaffolds, the enhancement of immunomodulatory strategies, and preclinical validation using robust large animal models. Sustained interdisciplinary collaboration among surgical, engineering, and biological fields is crucial for advancing tissue-engineered tracheal grafts for routine clinical applications. Within this context, biomimetic approaches, including three-dimensional bioprinting, hybrid materials, and scaffold-free constructs, are gaining prominence as strategies to replicate the trachea’s native architecture and improve graft integration.
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spelling doaj-art-1fea6bef113b438b827c95ff1e2f7a7d2025-08-20T03:07:57ZengMDPI AGBiomimetics2313-76732025-07-0110745710.3390/biomimetics10070457Tissue-Engineered Tracheal ReconstructionSe Hyun Yeou0Yoo Seob Shin1Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 16499, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 16499, Republic of KoreaTracheal reconstruction remains a formidable clinical challenge, particularly for long-segment defects that are not amenable to standard surgical resection or primary anastomosis. Tissue engineering has emerged as a promising strategy for restoring the tracheal structure and function through the integration of biomaterials, stem cells, and bioactive molecules. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in tissue-engineered tracheal grafts, particularly in scaffold design, cellular sources, fabrication technologies, and early clinical experience. Innovations in biomaterial science, three-dimensional printing, and scaffold-free fabrication approaches have broadened the prospects for patient-specific airway reconstruction. However, persistent challenges, including incomplete epithelial regeneration and mechanical instability, have hindered its clinical translation. Future efforts should focus on the design of modular biomimetic scaffolds, the enhancement of immunomodulatory strategies, and preclinical validation using robust large animal models. Sustained interdisciplinary collaboration among surgical, engineering, and biological fields is crucial for advancing tissue-engineered tracheal grafts for routine clinical applications. Within this context, biomimetic approaches, including three-dimensional bioprinting, hybrid materials, and scaffold-free constructs, are gaining prominence as strategies to replicate the trachea’s native architecture and improve graft integration.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/7/457regenerative medicinetracheal reconstructiontissue engineeringscaffoldstem cells
spellingShingle Se Hyun Yeou
Yoo Seob Shin
Tissue-Engineered Tracheal Reconstruction
Biomimetics
regenerative medicine
tracheal reconstruction
tissue engineering
scaffold
stem cells
title Tissue-Engineered Tracheal Reconstruction
title_full Tissue-Engineered Tracheal Reconstruction
title_fullStr Tissue-Engineered Tracheal Reconstruction
title_full_unstemmed Tissue-Engineered Tracheal Reconstruction
title_short Tissue-Engineered Tracheal Reconstruction
title_sort tissue engineered tracheal reconstruction
topic regenerative medicine
tracheal reconstruction
tissue engineering
scaffold
stem cells
url https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/7/457
work_keys_str_mv AT sehyunyeou tissueengineeredtrachealreconstruction
AT yooseobshin tissueengineeredtrachealreconstruction