Researchers regrow small intestine outside the body

MANCHESTER, England, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Researchers kept two sections of embryonic mouse intestine alive outside the body and instigated them to grow back together as a functioning section of organ.

The accomplishment could help scientists working to improve surgery and treatment for intestinal conditions in infants and adults, such as short bowel syndrome.

"In this study we managed to bridge a gap of less than 1 mm, but for this to be useful in conditions like short bowel syndrome we'll need to promote growth across much larger distances," said Adrian Woolf, a professor in the University of Manchester's Institute of Human Development, in a press release. "Having the ability to test different vitamins and hormones which promote growth opens up many new possibilities for future treatments."

The researchers developed an organ culture and system of "supports" on which organs can grow. To test this out, they removed the intestines of embryonic mice, cut them into 2 mm to 3 mm tubes, and placed pieces on the supports.

A thread was then inserted into the tubes to link them together. The researchers reported that after three days in the culture, 74 percent of the 36 pairs of intestinal pieces were not only touching, but nerve signals were passed between the pieces so that they were functioning as one single organ.

The researchers also tried using a growth factor called R-spondin 1 to speed growth, which it did, however the bridge between the two pieces was not grown as uniformly and their fusion was not as successful.

Researchers suspect the method of regrowing operating intestines, as well as being able to see how that happens, could help with treatment of short bowel syndrome. SBS prevents intestinal absorption of nutrients and vitamins, and can cause weight loss and death.

"The ability to study organs outside of the body is delivering new insights into how they work," Woolf said. "In this case we've been able to study damaged intestines and instigate repairs which could lead to treatment in a number of conditions."

The study is published in the Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine.