title: Airway transplantation.
abstract: No definitive solution has been discovered for replacing long segments or the entire trachea in humans. Most of this challenge stems from the specific function and mechanics that are almost impossible to replicate except in the setting of an allotransplantation, which requires lifelong immunosuppressive medication. Recently, tissue engineering provided significant evidence concerning the next promising therapeutic alternative for tracheal replacement. Underlying mechanism and pathways of cell-surface interactions, cell migration, and differentiation are essential to understand the complexity of tracheal tissue regeneration. Tracheal replacement remains challenging but initial steps toward an ideal therapeutic concept have been made.
authors.affiliation: Division of Ear, Nose, and Throat (CLINTEC), Advanced Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine (ACTREM), Karolinska Institutet, Alfred Nobel Allé 8, Huddinge/Stockholm 14186, Sweden.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jungebluth
authors.affiliation: Division of Ear, Nose, and Throat (CLINTEC), Advanced Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine (ACTREM), Karolinska Institutet, Alfred Nobel Allé 8, Huddinge/Stockholm 14186, Sweden. Electronic address: paolo.macchiarini@ki.se.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Macchiarini
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D002102:Cadaver; D006084:Graft Rejection; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D014132:Trachea / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation*; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy
keywords: Allogenic transplantation; Immunosuppressive medication; Rejection; Tissue engineering; Trachea replacement