Animal Biotech Industries, Inc

Quality and Expertise in Animals and Biological Materials Since 1990

How Research Swine Are Used in Decellularization/Recellularization Technology

Research Swine

Research swine are playing an important part in the understanding of role of the extracellular matrix (or ECM) scaffold of the pancreas, which in turn helps advance regenerative medicine as it applies to restoring the of pancreas’ endocrine function.

A 2014 study published in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology explains this very cutting-edge approach to improving on the current diabetic therapies.

“ECM scaffolds from whole animal or human-cadaveric organs can be generated through detergent-based decellularization,” the authors of the report write. “Current decellularization techniques are capable of removing DNA, cellular material and cell surface antigens from the ECM scaffold while preserving attachment sites, structural integrity and vascular channels.”

While previous research indicated that pancreatic decellularization could disrupt ECM protein ultrastructure, more recent characterization studies involving decellularized pancreases from research swine found the “sweeping presence of the essential structural proteins including different types of collagen, elastin, fibronectin, and laminin.”

The study concludes regenerative medicine technology offers significant potential to reduce the “dire shortage” of transplantable organs.

Animal Biotech is proud to be a part of this kind of work over the past two decades, providing researchers with porcine cadavers and live pig models, as well as supplying information, consulting and training on most aspects of husbandry, resting and housing of live animals.

We’ve written before about how research swine like the kind we offer have been instrumental in everything from studying pancreatic cancer to treating spinal cord injuries.

Contact us today to learn how we can help you in your next project.