Bladder has many important functions as a urine storage and voiding organ. Bladder injury caused by various pathological factors may need bladder reconstruction. Currently the standard procedure for bladder reconstruction is gastrointestinal replacement. However, due to the significant difference in their structure and function, intestinal segment replacement may lead to complications such as hematuria, dysuria, calculi and tumor. With the recent advance in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, new techniques have emerged for the repair of bladder defects. This paper reviews the recent progress in three aspects of urinary bladder tissue engineering, i.e., seeding cells, scaffolds and growth factors.
Objective To summarize the research progress of bio-derived materials used for bladder regeneration. MethodsThe recent domestic and foreign sutudies on bio-derived materials used for bladder regeneration, including classification, morphology optimization process, tissue regeneration strategies, and relevant clinical trials, were summarized and analyzed. ResultsNumerous types of bio-derived materials are employed in bladder regeneration, characterized by their low immunogenicity and high inducible activity. Surface modification, gelation, and other morphology optimization process have significantly broadened the application scope of bio-derived materials. These advancements have effectively addressed complications, such as perforation and urolith formation, that may arise during bladder regeneration. The strategy of tissue regeneration utilizing bio-derived materials, targeting the regeneration of bladder epithelium, smooth muscle, blood vessels, and nerves, offers a novel approach to achieving functional regeneration of bladder. Bio-derived materials show great promise for use in bladder regeneration, yet the results from clinical trials with these materials have been less than satisfactory. ConclusionBio-derived materials are widely used in bladder regeneration due to the good biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, and degradable properties, yet face a series of problems, and there are no commercialized bladder tissue engineering grafts used in clinical treatment.