New tissue-engineering strategy could offer hope to patients
with spina bifida, bladder conditions
For patients suffering from spina bifida, the most common
disabling birth defect in the United States, bladder dysfunction is common.
Surgery is often considered the best treatment, but it comes with a host of
complications, and today’s bladder tissue engineering strategies are unable to
sufficiently reform bladder tissue without causing other problems.
In a new study, Northwestern University researchers explore
an alternative to contemporary tissue-engineering strategies. The result is a
new approach to bladder regeneration that can reform bladder smooth muscle,
vasculature, and promote peripheral nerve tissue growth, all while using
populations of cells from the patient himself.