The artificial blood vessels allow blood to circulate through the replacement organ while the body produces its own vessels.
By Shula Rosen
An Israeli biotech startup has developed technology that facilitates the circulation of blood through transplanted organs.
Given the shortage of organ donors, engineered organs have filled in the gap are meeting the growing demand for replacement organs.
However, one drawback to engineered organs that it’s difficult to encourage proper circulation essential for proper functioning.
An Israeli biotech company, Bonus Biotech, has developed artificial blood vessels that will allow blood to circulate through the replacement organ while the body produces its own vessels.
Tomer Bronshtein, VP of Business Development at Bonus Biogroup, explained to Israel 21C the issues the technology aims to resolve.
“One of the biggest challenges in implementing engineered tissue is making sure that it is vascularized,” he said.
“If it isn’t, only the periphery of the tissue which is exposed to blood vessels will be nourished,” he added.
Bronshtein explained, “Now, the body knows how to build blood vessels into new tissue, but this process takes time. After two or three days, if the new tissue is deprived of nutrients, these cells will die.”
“Even if the immune matching is superb — even if you could take it from your twin brother — if it’s not vascularized, it will not work,” he concluded.
Bonus Biogroup created a system of tiny biodegradable vessels that act as a kind of scaffold that supports the engineered organ while providing blood flow.
Since the vessels are biodegradable, they disappear gradually as the body develops its own blood vessels to support the new organ.
The body creates veins through a process called “electrospinning” which Bronshtein compares to making cotton candy.
Veins are created in different lengths and widths and are connected in bundles.
In addition to its biodegradable vein product, Bonus Biogroup also has develop bone grafting technology called BonoFill.