Generating a tissue engineered oeosphagus
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Use of mechanical strain to improve cellular and matrix organisation in a tissue engineered oesophagus
IRAS ID
186561
Contact name
Nicola H Green
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Sheffield
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
12179, Human Tissue Authority Licence; 165/03, SSREC; 07/1309/138, SSREC; 145015, URMS
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
The oesophagus, or gullet, is a tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. Children born in the UK with a malformed oesophagus usually undergo surgery to reconnect the tube. However in severe cases extra tissue is needed to fill the gap. In addition patients with caustic injury to the oesophagus or oesophageal cancer often require reconstruction of the oesophagus. Unfortunately suitable donor tissue is in short supply, and surgeons often use tissue from other parts of the patient’s body such as the small intestine. However this can cause long-term complications including blockages, leaking and slow movement of food into the stomach. A tissue-engineered oesophagus, made using the patient’s own cells offers the potential to provide an alternative treatment. However success in this area has been very limited. Researchers believe that this is caused by two things – incomplete layers of cells lining the oesophagus and poor organisation of muscle layers surrounding this.
We have shown we can produce a lining similar to that of a normal human oesophagus. The aim of this project is to improve upon the organisation of cells in the muscle layer around the oesophagus. We know that growing cells on a surface that we then cause to expand and contract changes how the cells behave. We believe that we can encourage them to line up around the tube and produce more of the material needed to form a good muscle layer and thus improve long-term patency. We know that we need cells from fresh oesophagus tissue rather than immortal cells grown for long periods in the laboratory for these experiments. The donated tissue will allow us to isolate these cells.REC name
London - Harrow Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/1705
Date of REC Opinion
30 Sep 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion