Most decellularization processes begin by removing the tissue or organ of interest from a mouse, rat, or other animal, using standard detergents such a SDS and Triton X-100 to slowly remove cells from the tissue via submersion or perfusion (Crapo et al., 2011). Submersion decellularization is limited to thin tissue samples and tends to be inadequate for whole organ decellularization (Crapo et al., 2011). Perfusion decellularization requires intact vasculature to penetrate the internal tissue structure and enables complete tissue decellularization and subsequent recellularization (Crapo et al., 2011). One potential downside of standard perfusion decellularization processes is the requirement for organ dissection and removal from the animal. In this recent study, Taylor et al. have demonstrated a novel whole animal perfusion decellularization approach that can be used to obtain a completely decellularized rat or can be used to isolate organ systems and specific tissues in a way that maintains both the mechanical integrity and tissue-specific ECM composition of the organ (Taylor et al., 2021).

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