CHAPTER 10. Use of Small Intestinal Submucosa dECM in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

Abstract

The naturally-occurring extracellular matrix directs all phases of tissue healing and can be exploited to induce the repair and restoration of soft tissues following injury or disease. Decellularized biomaterials derived from natural extracellular matrix, such as small intestinal submucosa (SIS), provide the extracellular components necessary to direct the healing response, allow for the reconstruction of new, healthy tissue and restore mechanical and functional integrity to the damaged site. Since its first experimental use in 1989 and its first human clinical use approval in 1998, SIS has been used in a wide range of applications to treat a variety of connective tissue injuries. The unique properties of this biomaterial are described and its use in various clinical applications is discussed.