Bladder Tissue Engineering for Pediatric Urology

The development of “replacement parts” for humans has been the dream of clinicians ever since solitary organ dysfunction has been identified as the cause of morbidity and mortality in otherwise healthy humans. Organ transplantation has been used successfully to prolong and improve life for countless patients but has also introduced new disease processes and morbidities that force us to look for better solutions. Autologous tissue and organ transplantation is seen as the ultimate goal, as the ability to grow replacement organs and tissues would revolutionize the care of patients with organ failure and does not come burdened with the risk of immunologic rejection. In this summary, we will describe the history and techniques of tissue and organ engineering and its promise to provide autologous bladder tissue for use in children with bladder disease.