Tissue engineering techniques to generate a graft ex vivo is an exciting field of research. In particular, the use of biological scaffolds has shown to be promising in a clinical setting. In this approach, decellularized donor scaffolds are obtained following detergent-based enzymatic treatment to remove donor cells and subsequently repopulated with recipient specific cells. Herein, we describe our bioreactor-based partial decellularization approach to generate hybrid tracheal grafts. Using a short detergent-based treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), we remove the epithelium and maintain the structural integrity of the donor grafts by keeping the cartilage alive. The following will be a step-by-step description of the bioreactor system setup and partial decellularization protocol to obtain a de-epithelialized tracheal graft.
Keywords: Biological scaffolds; Double-chamber perfusion bioreactor; Partial decellularization; Tissue engineering; Tracheal de-epithelialization.
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