Scaffolds for intestinal tissue engineering

Abstract Intestinal diseases affect roughly 60–70 million people and annually cost over $100 billion in direct medical expenses in the United States alone. Intestinal disorders directly and significantly affect a patient's quality of life due to the vital role the intestines play in digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. These disorders can stem from autoimmune, metabolic, or vascular diseases, bacterial or viral infections, inflammatory immune responses, or cancerous growth. Current treatment options for these diseases focus primarily on symptom management and surgery, resulting in poor quality of life for the patient, posttreatment. This chapter considers the scientific advances made toward regeneration of a functional intestine through tissue engineering. This chapter starts off with the anatomy and physiology of the intestines, to illustrate the complex nature and function of the organs. Section 57.3 discusses the diseases affecting the intestines, current therapeutic options, and the need for a tissue engineering solution. Section 57.4 focuses on the general requirements for a scaffold and specific considerations to be made in case of the intestine. Finally, Section 57.5 discusses the recent work done in the field and the results obtained.