In vivo reconstruction of tracheas using a decellularized scaffold based on tissue-specific extracellular matrix in the caprine model

• Grant number: 25/09588-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: November 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Paola Castro Moraes
• Grantee: Guilherme Machado Holzlsauer
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Tracheal diseases pose a significant clinical challenge, leading to stenosis and respiratory failure. Traditional resection methods have limitations, especially in long segments. Decellularization and recellularization techniques emerge as promising alternatives, preserving the extracellular matrix and minimizing immune rejection. This study evaluates the feasibility of transplanting decellularized and recellularized tracheal segments in goats, investigating tissue integration, inflammatory response, vascularization, and respiratory functionality. Goat tracheas will be processed using wash cycles, 4% SDS, and vacuum, followed by histology, DAPI staining, DNA quantification, and electron microscopy analysis. Adipose tissue fragments will be digested with collagenase and DNase to obtain cells, which will be seeded onto scaffolds through dynamic culture. The segments will be implanted in goats and monitored through clinical, imaging, hematological, and biochemical examinations over 120 days. Postmortem analyses (histopathology, immunohistochemistry, SEM, and angiography) will assess tissue integration and remodeling, contributing to advances in tracheal regeneration with promising clinical applications.