Artificial Organs 2019: A year in review

Abstract

In this Editor’s Review, articles published in 2019 are organized by category and summarized. These provide a brief reflection of the research and progress in artificial organs intended to advance and better human life while providing insight for continued application of these technologies and methods. Artificial Organs continues in the original mission of its founders “to foster communications in the field of artificial organs on an international level.” Artificial Organs continues to publish developments and clinical applications of artificial organ technologies in this broad and expanding field of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration from all over the world. Peer‐reviewed Special Issues this year included contributions from the 14th International Conference on Pediatric Mechanical Circulatory Support Systems and Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Perfusion edited by Dr Akif Undar, and the 26th Congress of the International Society for Mechanical Circulatory Support edited by Dr Minoru Ono and Dr Francesco Moscato. Additionally, important editorials highlighted the need for sustainability in hemodialysis, challenges and opportunities in mechanical circulatory support, progress in artificial pancreas development, historical perspectives on ventilators and dialysis, tissue engineering for cardiac support, and regional updates from India and China. Our Pioneer Series continues to highlight the many researchers who created this field of study. This year we debuted a new series entitled “Recent Progress in Artificial Organs” prepared by Vakhtang Tchantchaleishvili and Elizabeth Maynes of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA. This series highlights recent advances and new developments in the field. We take this time also to express our gratitude to our authors for contributing their work to this journal. We offer our very special thanks to our reviewers who give so generously of their time and expertise to review, critique, and especially provide meaningful suggestions to the author’s work. Without our dedicated expert reviewers, the quality expected from such a journal would not be possible. We also express our special thanks to our Publisher, John Wiley & Sons, for their expert attention and support in the production Artificial Organs. We look forward to reporting further advances in the coming years.

Adhesion of Neurons and Glial Cells with Nanocolumnar TiN Films for Brain-Machine Interfaces

“…Within the last decade, a large variety of biomaterials have been developed, ranging from diagnostic tools [4] to dental [5] and orthopedic implants [6], organ replacement [7], Int. J. Mol.…”

A novel technique to produce tubular scaffolds based on collagen and elastin

“…The scaffolds must also be compatible with endothelial cells for tissue repair. Polymeric biomaterials are often applied for vascular and other soft TE scaffolds, due to the similarity of their properties to those of the natural tissues 3,4 …”

“…Polymeric biomaterials are often applied for vascular and other soft TE scaffolds, due to the similarity of their properties to those of the natural tissues. 3,4 Proteins, as collagen (Col) and elastin (El), are natural polymers with "green" or environmentally safe properties. These proteins have great appeal to be used as scaffolds considering their biocompatibility, related to the interaction with cell surface receptors, 5 and natural degradation by proteases producing amino acids that are non-toxic and can be easily absorbed by the body.…”

3D Printing of Physical Organ Models: Recent Developments and Challenges

“…In the farther future, the innovation of 3D printing will constantly expand the potential of 3D bioprinting, and therefore the mutual enhancement of physical organ models and in vitro tissue models [ 212 , 213 ] will be more significant. 3D bioartificial organs [ 204 , 214 , 215 ] with complete organ functions will be the ultimate embodiment of the integration and development of these fields. Although there is still a long way to go, this is the inevitable pathway for organ models to go from “appearance resemblance” (having the same physical shape as real organs) to “spiritual resemblance” (having the same biological functions as real organs) that worth people making unremitting efforts.…”