Breathing room: Toward next-generation tracheal engineering

The creation of an engineered trachea with robust phenotype and sufficient mechanical properties for clinical application remains a challenge. In their work, Tang et al. 1 Tang H. Sun W. Liu X. Gao Q. Chen Y. Xie C. Lin W. Chen J. Wang L. Fan Z. et al. A bioengineered trachea-like structure improves survival in a rabbit tracheal defect model. Sci. Transl. Med. 2023; 15eabo4272https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.abo4272 Crossref Google Scholar propose a stacked approach of alternating cartilaginous and fibrous rings to form a tracheal segment, which integrated and retain patency in rabbits for 8 weeks. The creation of an engineered trachea with robust phenotype and sufficient mechanical properties for clinical application remains a challenge. In their work, Tang et al. 1 Tang H. Sun W. Liu X. Gao Q. Chen Y. Xie C. Lin W. Chen J. Wang L. Fan Z. et al. A bioengineered trachea-like structure improves survival in a rabbit tracheal defect model. Sci. Transl. Med. 2023; 15eabo4272https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.abo4272 Crossref Google Scholar propose a stacked approach of alternating cartilaginous and fibrous rings to form a tracheal segment, which integrated and retain patency in rabbits for 8 weeks.