Current transplantation trends and the novel innovations that promise improvement – assessing progress in artificial organ development

Abstract

Organ transplantation worldwide suffers from shortages. For the six major donated organ systems; the kidneys; liver; heart; lungs; pancreas, and small bowel, shortages stem from scarcity of both living and deceased donors. Novel artificial organ technologies have been analysed for each system, with a focus on mechanical devices, tissue engineering and decellularization. Current technologies provide temporary support, but endocrine and metabolic emulation remains a significant hurdle, and clinical use is distant for the most part. Key challenges include vascularization, biocompatibility, and immune rejection. Innovations in stem cell-derived constructs and gene editing show potential for patient-specific, rejection-free organs. [excerpt]