Tissue Engineering and Ureter Regeneration: Is it Possible?

Large ureter damages are difficult to reconstruct. Current techniques are complicated, difficult to perform, and often associated with failures. The ureter has never been regenerated thus far. Therefore the use of tissue engineering techniques for ureter reconstruction and regeneration seems to be a promising way to resolve these problems. For proper ureter regeneration the following problems must be considered: the physiological aspects of the tissue, the type and shape of the scaffold, the type of cells, and the specific environment (urine).

This review presents tissue engineering achievements in the field of ureter regeneration focusing on the scaffold, the cells, and ureter healing.