Critical rethinking on the approach for tissue and organ regeneration for Hirschsprung Disease

1. ENTERIC NERVE
REGENERATION FOR
HIRCHSPRUNG DISEASE
MUNIRA SHAHBUDDIN
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
IAP 2018

2. NERVOUS
SYSTEM
The nervous system is a complex
network of nerves and cells that
carry messages to and from the
brain and spinal cord to various
parts of the body.
The nervous system includes both
the Central nervous system and
Peripheral nervous system.

3. The enteric nervous
system (ENS) or
intrinsic nervous
system is one of the main
divisions of the
autonomic nervous
system and consists of a
mesh-like system of
neurons that governs the
function of the
gastrointestinal tract.
ENTERIC
NERVOUS
SYSTEM

4. GASTROINTESTINAL
SYSTEM
The GI tract is a series of
hollow organs joined in a
long, twisting tube from
the mouth to the anus.
The hollow organs that
make up the GI tract are
the mouth, esophagus,
stomach, small intestine,
large intestine, and anus.

5. HIRCHSPRUNG
DISEASE
Hirchsprung's disease is a
congenital disorder of the
colon in which certain
nerve cells, known as
ganglion cells, are absent,
causing chronic
constipation.

6. CURRENT
INTERVENTIONS
FOR
HIRCHSPRUNG
DISEASE
Removal of
agangliosection of the
intestine
Reconstruction of
intestine

7. CAN TISSUE
ENGINEERING BE
APPLIED FOR
HIRSHSPRUNG’S
PATIENTS?
1. Biomaterials
2. Cell and Tissue
Engineering approach

8. CELL AND TISSUE
ENGINEERING
APPROACH
From lab to organ
approach

9. RISKS AND FUTURE
OF TISSUE
ENGINEERING FOR
ENTERIC NERVOUS
• Risks associated with the
performance of the final product.
There are risks that the
regeneration process may not
yield tissue with adequate
mechanical or physical properties,
which could result in life-
threatening situations, for
example with tissue-engineered
blood vessels or valves.