The Decellularization of Whole Organs

Since the development of tissue engineering, many mature decellularization schemes have been formed for different organs. The purpose of decellularization is to remove immunogenic components (such as alpha-Gal epitopes) and cellular components from the organ while retaining the inherent characteristics of natural extracellular matrix (ECM). The efficiency of removal of cells from the organs depends on the methods of decellularization. The commonly used decellularization methods can be divided into physical methods, chemical methods, and enzymatic hydrolysis methods according to the different reagents or conditions used. In the process of whole-organ decellularization, perfusion decellularization is currently the most widely used method and one of the safest and most effective decellularization methods. Each of these treatments affects the biochemical composition, tissue ultrastructure, mechanical behavior of the remaining ECM scaffold and detergent residue. This chapter presents an overview of the decellularization of different whole organs, including heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas, intestine, and others. Intended as a broad-ranging reference, this chapter will be of value for those concerned with the study of tissue engineering.