Bile duct reconstruction using scaffold-free tubular constructs created by Bio-3D printer

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K23609
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0403:Biomedical engineering and related fields
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: Hamada Takashi 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(医学系), 研究協力員 (80849498)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: バイオ人工胆管 / scaffold-free / 総胆管の置換 / バイオ3Dプリンター / ブタ線維芽細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Fibroblasts were cultured from domestic pig skin, and a Bio-3D printer was used to create a ductal structure (Bio-artificial bile duct) made entirely of porcine-derived fibroblasts. Then, the common bile duct (the duct of bile flowing from the liver to the digestive tract) of the pig was removed and the Bio-artificial bile duct was implanted. The bile duct was removed and evaluated two weeks after implantation.
As a result, blood tests before and after the transplantation showed no abnormal in liver function. Additionally, cholangiography of the implanted common bile duct showed no evidence of leakage or stenosis. Histopathological examination confirmed the continuity between Bio-artificial bile duct and recipient bile duct. Furthermore, angiogenesis was observed in the tissue surrounding the Bio-artificial bile duct. The Bio-artificial bile duct was successfully created and implanted.

Free Research Field

消化器外科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

胆道手術や肝移植における胆管胆管吻合の合併症として胆道狭窄が生じることがある。胆道狭窄を解決するため、生体ポリマーやscaffold（細胞の接着、増殖、分化を制御するための細胞培養基材であり足場、骨格のようなもの）を利用した様々な人工胆管の研究があるが、現在までに臨床応用されているものはない。そこで今回、胆管狭窄部を置換可能なscaffold-freeである細胞のみで構成されたバイオ人工胆管を作製し、ブタへの移植（総胆管の置換）に成功した。今後この研究が進めば、実際の臨床現場での人工胆管移植が実現し、これまで困難であった胆管吻合の合併症の治療の一助になる可能性がある。