UK scientists have made a significant breakthrough by growing fully functioning food pipes in a lab and successfully transplanting them into mini pigs.
According to a report in the journal Nature Biotechnology, this achievement offers new hope to patients like two-year-old Casey Mcintyre, who was born with 11cm missing from his oesophagus.
Casey's parents, Silviya and Sean Mcintyre, have been navigating a long and challenging journey with their son, who has undergone extensive surgeries and currently uses a feeding tube.
Background on the Condition
Around 18 babies are born each year in the UK with the same condition as Casey, and the new research shows it is possible to safely make and replace a full section of the oesophagus and restore normal function.
The scientists used Göttingen minipigs, the smallest domestic pig breed, due to their similarity in size and cell makeup to human children.
Research Methodology
To create new food pipes, the researchers took a donor pig's oesophagus, stripped it of its cells, and added new cells to the underlying support structure, which was then placed in a bioreactor to grow and mature.
Eight pigs received the transplants and recovered well, with five surviving to the six-month endpoint and developing functional muscle, nerves, and blood vessels.
Expert Insights
Prof Paolo De Coppi, who led the research team at Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London, hopes to offer the treatment to children within the next five years.
Prof De Coppi noted that the graft would not be suitable for adults with other oesophageal problems, such as cancer, due to size constraints, but it is designed to grow with children as their oesophagus develops.
