An overview of the production of tissue extracellular matrix and decellularization process

Thousands of patients need an organ transplant yearly, while only a tiny percentage have this chance to receive a tissue/organ transplant. Nowadays, decellularized animal tissue is one of the most widely used methods to produce engineered scaffolds for transplantation. Decellularization is defined as physically or chemically removing cellular components from tissues while retaining structural and functional extracellular matrix (ECM) components and creating an ECM-derived scaffold. Then, decellularized scaffolds could be reseeded with different cells to fabricate an autologous graft. Effective decellularization methods preserve ECM structure and bioactivity through the application of the agents and techniques used throughout the process. The most valuable agents for the decellularization process depend on biological properties, cellular density, and the thickness of the desired tissue. ECM-derived scaffolds from various mammalian tissues have been recently used in research and preclinical applications in tissue engineering. Many studies have shown that decellularized ECM-derived scaffolds could be obtained from tissues and organs such as the liver, cartilage, bone, kidney, lung, and skin. This review addresses the significance of ECM in organisms and various decellularization agents utilized to prepare the ECM. Also, we describe the current knowledge of the decellularization of different tissues and their applications.

Automated summary

Thousands of patients in need of organ transplants each year have limited opportunities, but decellularized animal tissue has emerged as a widely used method to create engineered scaffolds for transplantation. By physically or chemically removing cellular components from tissues and preserving the extracellular matrix, decellularized scaffolds can be reseeded with cells to create autologous grafts. The successful preservation of ECM structure and bioactivity is crucial for effective decellularization. ECM-derived scaffolds from various mammalian tissues, such as liver, cartilage, bone, kidney, lung, and skin, have shown promise in research and preclinical applications in tissue engineering.