Protective Effect of a Novel Technique for Liver Transplantation in the Rat

Research progress on anatomy reconstruction of rat orthotopic liver transplantation

Rat orthotopic liver transplantation (ROLT) serves as an ideal animal model and has gained popularity in addressing complications and perioperative treatments related to clinical liver transplantation. Through extensive research on ROLT model construction, the conventional "two-cuff" method has gradually become established. However, traditional methods still present challenges including limited visual field during vascular suturing, vascular torsion, biliary tract injuries, and prolonged anhepatic periods. Consequently, this paper aims to review the latest advancements and various techniques in this field, providing a valuable reference for individuals interested in constructing ROLT models.

Liver scaffolds obtained by decellularization: A transplant perspective in liver bioengineering

Liver transplantation is the only definitive treatment for many diseases that affect this organ, however, its quantity and viability are reduced. The study of liver scaffolds based on an extracellular matrix is a tissue bioengineering strategy with great application in regenerative medicine. Collectively, recent studies suggest that liver scaffold transplantation may assist in reestablishing hepatic function in preclinical diseased animals, which represents a great potential for application as a treatment for patients with liver disease in the future. This review focuses on useful strategies to promote liver scaffold transplantation and the main open questions about this context. We outline the current knowledge about ex vivo bioengineered liver transplantation, including the surgical techniques, recipient survival time, scaffold preparation before transplantation, and liver disease models. We also highlight the current limitations and future directions regarding in vivo bioengineering techniques.